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1
Q

What is meant by the term attachment?

A

It is an emotional tie or bond between 2 people, with the relationship being reciprocal

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2
Q

Name 2 forms of caregiver-infant interaction

A
  • Reciprocity

- Interactional synchrony

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3
Q

What is meant by Reciprocity in terms of attachment

A
  • Reciprocity is when an infant responds to the actions of another person in a form of turn-taking
  • The actions of 1 person elicits a response from the other (caregiver-infant interaction is where the interaction between both individuals flows)
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4
Q

What is meant by interactional synchrony in terms of attachment?

A
  • It takes place when infants mirror the actions or emotions of another person eg their facial expression
  • Mirroring can also be referred to as imitation or simply copying
  • The child will move their body or carry out the same act as their caregiver simultaneously, 2 said to be synchronised
  • The interaction serves to sustain communication between 2 individuals
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5
Q

Outline a research study into interactional synchrony in infants

A

-Meltzhoff and Moore

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6
Q

Evaluation of caregiver-infant interaction

What are the problems with testing infant behaviour?

A
  • Limitation
  • questionable reliability of testing children
  • Because infants move their mouths and wave their arms constantly
  • Issue for researchers because the intentional behaviour becomes indistinguishable from general activity
  • Therefore we can’t be certain that the infants were actually engaging in interactional synchrony or reciprocity
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7
Q

Evaluation of caregiver-infant interaction

What are the individual difference?

A
  • Critism of Meltzoff and Moore’s research over-looked individual differences
  • Only securely attached infants engage in interactional synchrony
  • Isabella et al found the more securely attached the infant, the greater level of interactional synchrony
  • Suggests that not all children engage in interactional synchrony
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8
Q

Outline the role of the father

A
  • Traditionally the role may have been limited
  • However, psychologists disagree over the exact role of the father
  • Some researchers claim that men are simply not equipped to form an attachment due to biological evidence that suggest oestrogen underlies caring behaviour in women and the lack of it in men is why they are unable to form a close attachment
  • Other researchers argue that fathers don’t take on a caregiver role and in fact provide a different role as a playmate
  • Finally, some researchers argue that fathers can demonstrate sensitive responsiveness
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9
Q

Evaluation of the role of the father

Research support for the father as a playmate

A
  • Support for the role of the father as a playmate rather than primary caregiver
  • Geiger found that a fathers play interactions were more exciting in comparison to a mothers
  • However, the mothers play interactions were more affectionate
  • Suggesting that the role of the father is as a playmate and not as a sensitive parent who responds to the needs of their children
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10
Q

Evaluation of the role of the father

Evidence for a biological difference

A
  • Fathers aren’t as equipped as mothers to provide a sensitive and nurturing attachment
  • Hrdy found that fathers were less able to detect low levels of infant distress compared to mums
  • Supports the biological explanation that the lack of oestrogen in men means that fathers aren’t equipped innately to form close attachments with their children- to some extent the role is biologically determined
  • Provides further evidence that fathers aren’t able to provide a sensitive type of attachment as they are unable to detect stress in children
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11
Q

Evaluation of Schaffer and Emerson’s study

High external validity

A
  • Strength
  • Conducted the observations in each childs own home
  • Meaning children and adults are more likely to act naturally
  • Therefore the study has good external validity’s the results are likely to apply to other children from a similar demographic in their own homes
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12
Q

Evaluation of Schaffer and Emerson’s study

A limited sample

A
  • Criticism
  • Lacks population validity
  • sample consisted of only 60 working class mothers and babies from Glasgow
  • These may display very different attachments when compared to wealthier families from other countries
  • Therefore we are unable to generalise from other countries and backgrounds as their behaviour may not be comparable
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13
Q

What are Schaffer’s stages of development and what ages do they occur?

A

Asocial (from birth to 2 months), Indiscriminate (from 2 to 7 months), Specific (from 7 to 12 months) and Multiple (1 year onward)

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14
Q

What happens in the asocial stage of development?

A

An infant shows similar responses to objects and people. Although towards the end of this stage they do display a preference for faces (Birth to 2 months)

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15
Q

What happens in the indiscriminate stage of development?

A

Infant shows preference for human company over non-human. They can distinguish between different people, but are comforted indiscriminately (by anyone) and do not show stranger anxiety yet (2 to 7 months)

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16
Q

What happens in the specific stage of development?

A

Infant shows preference for 1 caregiver, displaying separation anxiety. The infant looks to a particular person for security. The infant shows joy upon reunion and are comforted by their primary caregiver (7 to 12 months)

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17
Q

What happens in the multiple stage of development?

A

Attachment behaviours are now displayed towards different people eg siblings and are sometimes referred to as secondary attachments. They typically form in the 1st month after the primary attachment is formed (1 year onward)

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18
Q

Evaluation of Schaffer’s stages of attachment

Problems studying the asocial stage

A
  • Despite important interactions taking place within the first few weeks of life, it is still known as the ‘asocial stage’
  • But it is very difficult to make any judgements on the meaning of behaviours displayed by babies as they tend to have very poor coordination and are largely immobile
  • This means that although the child feelings and cognitions are considered highly social the evidence is largely not relied on
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19
Q

Evaluation of Schaffer’s stages of attachment

Measuring attachment

A
  • Limitation
  • problems assessing multiple attachments
  • Eg, just because a baby cries when an individual leaves a room doesn’t mean that the person is an attachment figure
  • Children have playmates and often get distressed when a playmate leaves the room
  • This means that Schaffer’s observations don’t give us a way of distinguishing between behaviour shown towards secondary attachment figures and playmates
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20
Q

Evaluation of Lorenz

Problems with generalisability

A
  • Lorenz only studies animals, we therefore can’t generalise the results to humans since we are unable to conclude that they would behave in exactly the same way
  • The attachment of mammals is different to birds
  • Mothers show more emotional reactions to their offspring with the added ability of being able to form attachments beyond the 1st few hours after birth
  • caution must be applied when drawing wider conclusions about the results
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21
Q

Evaluation of Lorenz

Contradictory findings

A
  • Later research has cast doubt onto some conclusions Lorenz due from imprinting
  • Guiton et al found chickens would imprint on a yellow washing up glove if it was the first large moving thing they saw and would try to mate with it in adulthood
  • However he disagreed with Lorenz that its irreversible since chickens would end up preferring to mate with other chickens
  • Suggests that the effects of imprinting may not be as permanent as initially thought
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22
Q

Evaluation of Harlow

Practical Value

A
  • Important real world applications, eg Howe reports that the knowledge gained from Harlows research has helped social workers understand risk factors in abuse and neglect of children
  • There are also practical applications for captive wild monkeys to ensure that they have adequate attachment figures
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23
Q

Evaluation of Harlow

A
  • Heavily criticised for the ethics
  • The monkeys suffered greatly in terms of emotional separation
  • If the species are considered to be sufficiently human-like to generalise the results beyond the sample then it stands to reason that the effects of psychological harm that they endured would be similar to that of a human baby
  • There is however the question of whether the insight obtained was sufficiently important to psychologists understanding of attachment that Harlow was justified in his approach
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24
Q

Where is the emphasis in the learning theory of attachment?

A
  • The key is food

- Babies become attached to whoever feeds them

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25
Q

Describe what is meant be classical conditioning

A

It is a process of learning by associating 2 stimuli together to condition a response

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26
Q

Describe the process of classical conditioning in terms of attachment

A
  • Before conditioning, food is an unconditioned stimulus which produces an unconditioned response (relief from hunger)
  • Before c the caregiver is a neutral stimulus, who produces no conditioned response from the child
  • During c the child associates the caregiver who feeds them (neutral stimulus) with the food (unconditioned stimulus)
  • Through many repeated paring, the caregiver becomes a conditioned stimulus who is associated with the pleasure from feeding. This results in the caregiver eliciting a conditioned response (relief of hunger) from the child
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27
Q

Describe the process of operant conditioning in terms of attachment

A
  • Dollard and Miller applied the principles of reward and reinforcement to explain human attachment between a caregiver and an infant
  • Infant feels hunger so is likely to cry in order to receive comfort
  • When the caregiver provides food, a feeling of pleasure is produced for the infant which is rewarding (positive reinforcement)
  • Behaviour which elicited the reward will be repeated eg crying
  • Its a reciprocal process since the caregiver also experiences a reward in the form of negative reinforcement eg when the infant stops crying they too will repeat the caregiving behaviour
  • Hunger is the primary drive and food is the primary reinforcer
  • Caregiver who provided it is called the secondary reinforcer
  • Attachment, called the secondary drive, will occur because the infant will seek the person who can supply the reward
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28
Q

Evaluation of learning theory of attachment

Contradictory research- Harlows Monkeys

A
  • Undermined by Harlow
  • Baby monkeys spent more time with a soft towelling monkey which provided no food, in comparison to a wire monkey that provided food
  • Shows baby monkeys don’t form attachments based on presence of food, this counterarguments is further supported by Schaffer and Emerson’s research which demonstrated that infants formed attachments to their mothers despite often being fed by other carers
  • Go against ‘cupboard love’ explanation
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29
Q

Evaluation of learning theory of attachment

Contradictory research- Lorenz’s geese

A
  • Refuted by Lorenz
  • Upon hatching baby geese followed the 1st moving object they saw
  • This process is known as imprinting, it appears to be innate
  • Shows that non-human animals demonstrate some inborn attachment behaviours to aid survival which goes against the idea that we learn to attach to a caregiver because they feed us
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30
Q

Evaluation of learning theory of attachment

Alternative theory- Bowlby’s Theory

A
  • Alternative theory to explain human attachment proposed by Bowlby
  • Believed that infants have an innate readiness during the critical period to form an attachment to their caregiver to protect them form harm
  • The evolutionary perspective not only explains how an attachment forms but also why
  • It’s accepted that Bowlby’s theory provides a more comprehensive explanation of attachment rather than reducing a complex behaviour to a simple stimulus-response association
31
Q

Evaluation of learning theory of attachment

What are possible strengths ?

A

-Research evidence from Pavlov
or
-Classical conditioning does occur

32
Q

What did Bowlby argue, and what are the 5 key components?

A
  • children are born with an innate tendency to form attachments with their parents in order to increase chances of survival
  • 5 key components are; Adaptive, Monotropy, Social Releasers, Critical period and Internal Working Model
33
Q

What is Bowlby’s adaptive component?

A
  • Attachment gives humans an advantage, making them more likely to survive
  • If an infant has an attachment they are kept safe, warm and given food
34
Q

What is Bowlby’s monotropy component?

A
  • He believed infants form 1 very special attachment with their primary caregiver, most frequently their mother
  • the intense attachment is called monotrophy
35
Q

What is Bowlby’s social releasers component?

A
  • Infants possess inborn social releasers, which unlock an innate tendency in adults
  • The social releasers are;
    1) Physical eg ‘baby face’ features to make babies appear cuter
    2) Behavioural eg crying
36
Q

What is Bowlby’s critical period component?

A
  • Infants must form an attachment with their caregiver during the critical period (3 to 6 months)
  • He acknowledged that infants could form an attachment after this period (up to 3 yrs)
  • BUT a successful formation of an attachment would be increasingly difficult after the initial period
  • If an attachment didn’t form within that time frame, the child would be damaged socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically for life
37
Q

What is Bowlby’s internal working model component?

A
  • Through the monotropic attachment, the infant would form an internal working model
  • This is an internal attachment for future relationship expectations
  • If a child has a strong and healthy attachment to their primary caregiver then they will develop strong and healthy relationships, later in life
  • BUT if a child has negative relationship with their primary attachment, they will have negative social and romantic relationships
38
Q

Evaluation of Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment

Support for the internal working model

A
  • Strength comes from Hazan and Shaver
  • Used a self-report questionnaire called ‘The Love Quiz’ to assess the internal working model= finding a positive correlation between early attachment types and later adult relationships
  • Bailey et al did research on 99 mothers, finding that those with poor attachment to their own parents were more likely to have children who were poorly attached
  • Supports and suggests that early childhood experiences do affect our later adult livess
39
Q

Evaluation of Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment

Limitation- mixed evidence

A
  • Mixed evidence for importance of monotropy, which Bowlby emphasised as part of this evolutionary explanation of attachment
  • Schaffer and Emerson refute the idea that infants must form 1 special attachments
  • Whilst they do recognise that some infants do but there are others who can form multiple simultaneously
  • This contradicts one of the central concepts
40
Q

Evaluation of Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment

An alternative explanation

A
  • Alternative theory of attachment
  • Kagan proposed the temperament hypothesis which suggests that a child’s genetically inherited personality traits have a role to play in forming an attachment with a caregiver
  • Thought that infants have differing temperaments because of their biological makeup which means some are more sociable and easy and others are more anxious and difficult
  • It’s argued that Bowlby ignored the role of temperament instead focusing on the early childhood experiances and quality of attachment which is an oversight since personality differences in the child can influence whether they become securely or insecurely attached
41
Q

Describe the setup of the Strange Situation

A
  • Infants aged between 9-18 months were placed in a novel situation of mild stress
  • Ainsworth observed how the infants behaved through a 2 way mirror during 8 different scenarios, each lasting 3 mins (time sampling)
  • The behaviours being observed are scored for intensity on a scale of 1 to 7
42
Q

Which behaviours were being observed and recorded in the Strange Situation

A
  • Separation anxiety
  • Reunion behaviour
  • Exploration
  • Stranger anxiety
43
Q

What are the Strange Situation Stages?

A

1) child is free to explore the room with mother
2) stranger enters
3) stranger interacts with baby
4) mother leaves infant alone with stranger
5) mother returns and stranger leaves
6) mother leaves, baby alone
7) stranger re-enters and offers baby comfort
8) mother returns and stranger leaves

44
Q

What are the 3 stages Ainsworth discovered, and what % of infants fell into each category?

A
  • Secure attachment (60-75%)
  • Avoidant attachment (20-25%)
  • Resistant attachment (12%)
45
Q

Describe the behaviour of infants in the Strange Situation for secure attachments?

A

EXPLORATION- Infant explores unfamiliar environment returning regularly to mum
SEPARATION ANXIETY- moderate, infants play is seriously disrupted
STRANGER ANXIETY- moderate, wary of strangers
REUNION BEHAVIOUR- infant is pleased to see mum and is easily comforted
PARENTS- emotionally available and consistent nurturing

46
Q

Describe the behaviour of infants in the Strange Situation for avoidant attachments?

A

EXPLORATION- explores the unfamiliar environment but doesn’t return to mum
SEPARATION ANXIETY- low, infant isn’t concerned by mums departure
STRANGER ANXIETY-low, infant is unconcerned about stranger
-REUNION BEHAVIOUR-infant shows little reaction upon mothers return
-PARENTS- emotionally unavailable

47
Q

Describe the behaviour of infants in the Strange Situation for resistant attachments?

A
  • EXPLORATION-infant doesn’t explore (clingy)
  • SEPARATION ANXIETY-high, extremely distressed
  • STRANGER ANXIETY-high, extremely distressed
  • REUNION BEHAVIOUR-not easily comforted, seeks but rejects mothers attempts of comfort
  • PARENTS-inconsistent style of parenting
48
Q

Evaluation of the Strange Situation

Good reliability

A
  • high reliability
  • strict and controlled methods during observation using predetermined categories
  • Since Ainsworth has several observers, agreement on attachment classification can be ensured
  • Inter-observer/inter-rater reliability is assumed to a high degree
  • Findings are considered more meaningful
49
Q

Evaluation of the Strange Situation

another attachment type

A
  • Ainsworth classification system is incomplete
  • Main and Solomon conducted subsequent research where they analysed hundred of strange situation episodes
  • Suggested Ainsworth overlooked a 4th type
  • Some infants showed inconsistent patterns of behaviour which they termed insecure-disorganised
  • Further support came from a meta-analysis by Van Ijzendoorn et al, finding 15% of infants were in fact this type
50
Q

Evaluation of the Strange Situation

issues with validity

A
  • Lacks ecological validity
  • Conducted study in a controlled artificial setting which was unfamiliar
  • children being observed may have acted differently to how they would act in a more familiar environment
  • Meaning we don’t know if the childrens displayed behaviours would be the same in a more familiar environment
  • Making Ainsworth’s findings less externally valid
51
Q

Outline the Meta-analysis by van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg

A

Aim- investigate cross-cultural variations in attachment
Method- conducted a meta-analysis of 32 studies from 8 countries that used the strange situation , with over 1990 infants used
results- 3 key findings=
1)Secure attachment was the most common
2)Japan (collectivist culture) showed higher levels of insecure-resistant
3)Germany (individualist culture) showed higher levels of insecure-avoidant
Conclusion- global trends seem to reflect the US norm of secure attachment being the most common and option type of attachment for healthy development

52
Q

Outline the key study by Simonelli

A
  • researchers assessed 76 12 month olds using the strange situation
  • assessed if the attachment style stayed the same in Italy
  • Mothers varied in terms of education level and employment
  • 50% secure and 36% avoidant - lower than previous studies
  • Researchers suggested this is due to the increased use of professional childcare as mothers are working longer hours
  • cultural changes can make a dramatic difference in patterns of attachment
53
Q 
Evaluation of van ljzendoorn and Kroonenberg
Alternative explanations (weakness)
A
  • alternative explanation for universal attachment which doesn’t consider the effect of culture
  • According to Bowlby, attachment occurs globally due to innate mechanisms which aid infant survival
  • this is a biologically driven process and isn’t modified by cultures
  • However, van ljezendoorn and Kroonenberg counter this argument and suggest that some similarities seen cross-culturally could be due to mass exposure to similar media forms like tv rather than inborn tendencies
54
Q 
Evaluation of van ljzendoorn and Kroonenberg
culture bias (weakness)
A
  • an issue with their research is that the strange situation methodology was developed in America and therefore the results may be culturally biased
  • Ainsworth’s strange situation may be more suitable for use solely with Western cultures as it reflects their values and norms
  • Using the assessment beyond the sample for which it was designed is referred to as imposed etic- which disregards the notion of cultural uniqueness
  • This matters as attachment behaviours mean different things for different cultures and so the results may not be valid when used with samples from non western cultures
55
Q 
Evaluation of van ljzendoorn and  Kroonenberg
large samples (strength)
A
  • In van ljzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study there was a total of almost 2000 babies and primary attachment figures
  • Having a large sample size increases the internal validity by reducing the impact of anomalies caused by a bad methodology or very unusual ppts
56
Q

Outline Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

A
  • Continued emotional care from the mother is essential
  • Separation from mother may lead to maternal deprivation
  • Separation is different from deprivation- deprivation is losing emotional care as a result of reparation
  • Critical period of 30 months- effects of maternal deprivation would be at their most acute during the critical period, should substitute emotional care not be provided
  • Deprivation lowers an IQ, restricting the intellectual development
  • Deprivation is linked to affectionless psychopathy, restricting the emotional development
57
Q

Describe Bowlby’s 44 Thieves Study

A
  • Wanted to see if early separation from the primary caregiver (deprivation) was associated with behavioural disorders= specifically affectionless psychopathy
  • Children aged 5-16 who had been referred to a clinic in London
  • 44 were thieves and 44 were non-criminals (control group)
  • Bowlby interviewed the children and their families to create a record of early life
  • Bowlby identified 14/44 (32%) thieves as affectionless psychopaths
  • 86% of these had experienced early and prolonged deprivation
  • 17% of the other/remaining thieves had experienced such deprivation along with 4% of the control group
  • These findings suggest a link between early separations and later social maladjustment
58
Q

Evaluating the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

Real life impact

A
  • Bowlby’s research on maternal deprivation has had a significant impact on practice in institutions such as hospitals where infants are likely to experience prolonged separation from their caregivers
  • Historically visiting children in hospitals was very restricted
  • The Robertson’s observed a 2 year old called Laura who was in hospital for 8 days. She struggled to cope with the emotional deprivation showing real distress
  • Key changes have since occurred due to the new psychological insight into how best to provide quality substitute emotional care in the absence of parents to minimise negative consequences for the child
59
Q

Evaluating the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

Counter Evidence

A
  • There’s evidence which counters Bowlby’s hypothesis
  • Lewis replicated the thieves study with 500 children but didn’t find that early deprivation caused by prolonged separation from the primary caregiver predicted a greater likelihood of criminal behaviour in youths
  • Furthermore, Barrett found securely attached children are more resistant to the negative effects of maternal deprivation in comparison to insecurely attached children
  • Such research casts doubt on Bowlby’s theory as it suggests that other factors may be involved which mediate the consequences of maternal deprivation which isn’t something the Bowlby took into account
60
Q

Evaluating the Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

Counter real life impact

A
  • Czech twins
  • mum died after birth and spent 1dt year of life in a orphanage
  • Then 6 months with aunt
  • They then moved in with their father who had re-married
  • The step-mother sent them to the cellar for 6 years
  • Once they were found they made a full recovery after being adopted
  • This shows that Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis doesn’t apply to everyone and thus lacks ecological validity
61
Q

Outline Rutter et al English and Romanian adoptee study (ERA)

A
  • Wanted to examine the LT effects of institutionalisation in a longitudinal study
  • 165 children who had spent their early years in a Romanian orphanage formed the experimental group
  • 111 of these children were adopted before 2 yrs
  • the remaining 54 were adopted before 4 yrs
  • compared to a control group of 52 British children who were adopted before 6 months
  • Social, cognitive and physical development of all infants were examined at regular intervals (age 4,6,11 and 15)
  • At adoption R orphans showed delayed development
  • Almost all R orphans who were adopted before 6 months caught up to British children
  • R orphans adopted after 6 months showed continued deficits
  • They were more likely to experience difficulties with making or maintaining peer relationships and were often categorised as having disinhibited attachment disorder
  • Institutionalisation can have severe LT effects on development especially if children aren’t provided with adequate emotional caregiving
62
Q

What is disinhibited attachment disorder?

A
  • They show various types of unusual behaviours including:
  • Attention seeking
  • Clingyness
  • Indiscriminate behaviour towards adults
63
Q

Outline the Bucharest Early Intervention Projects by Zeanah

not necessarily needed if remember Rutter et al

A
  • Wanted to investigate attachment type of children who had spent their early life in institutional care
  • Sample of 95 children aged between 12 & 32 months who had lived in an orphanage
  • Compared to a control group
  • Using the strange situation, researchers assessed the attachment type
  • The carers and parents were asked about several aspects of infants behaviour including clingyness
  • Found 74% of the control group were securely attached
  • 19% of orphans were securely attached
  • 65% of orphans appeared to have disinhibited attachment
  • Overall, infants who spent early years in orphanage are less likely to develop a secure attachment and are far more likely to experience disinhibited attachment
64
Q

Evaluation of Romanian orphan studies

Practical Application

A
  • 1 strength of Rutter’s findings is their real world application to social services
  • Helped change the way children are looked after
  • Historically mothers were encouraged to keep their babies longer, nowadays infants are adopted as early as 1 week old
  • Singer et al states that children are as securely attached to their adoptive families and biological families
  • Shows the benefit of institutionalisation research to help improve the lives of children
65
Q

Evaluation of Romanian orphan studies

Issues with generalisation

A
  • Issues with generalisation
  • The conditions of care were so dire for the R orphans they can’t be considered typical
  • The results obtained from studying R institutions don’t represent all situations where are children are placed in care
  • This lack of external validity is a result of the unusual situational variables due to the harsh political regimes at the time
66
Q

Evaluation of Romanian orphan studies

Fewer extraneous variables

A
  • Many studies before Rutters, but they often involved studies which involved trauma
  • Eg, Experienced neglect or abuse
  • These children were often traumatised by their experience
  • Hard to observe the effects of institutionalisation in isolation as the children were dealing with multiple factors which act as confounding variables
  • In R orphans its possible to study institutionalisation without confounding variables which increase internal validity
67
Q

How does an infant’s internal working model affect their later relationships?

A
  • The internal working model is a template of expectations of future relationships formed by early experiences with the primary caregiver
  • Good experience=good relationship expectations- seek functional relationships
  • Bad experience= bad relationship expectations- struggle to form relationships
68
Q

Describe how early attachments affect relationships in childhood

A
  • Myron-Wilson and Smith
  • Assessed attachment type and bullying involvement
  • Secure infants formed better friendships and are less likely to bully
  • Resistant infants are more likely to be bullies whereas avoidant are more more likely to be bullied
  • Internal working models affect parenting too
69
Q

Outline the aim, procedure, findings and conclusions from Hazan and Shaver’s study into romantic relationships

A
  • Aim= ‘Love Quiz’ questionnaire designed to test the internal working model to assess if attachment type influences adult relationships
  • Procedure= ‘Love Quiz’ was published in US newspaper and received 620 volunteers
  • It had 3 sections; 1st assessed individual’s most important relationship, 2nd focused on ascertaining general love experiences and 3rd asked self-selecting ppts about their feelings in relation to some statements
  • Findings= 56% of ppts were securely attached, 25% avoidant and 19% resistant
  • Positive correlation was found between early attachment type and experiences in love with those reporting secure attachments, being most likely to have long relationships of on average 10+ years
  • Avoidant type were more likely to report feeling dislike in relation to intimacy
  • Resistant type were more likely to have shorter relationships of on average 6 years
  • Conclusions= findings indicate that specific attachment type behaviours are reflected in adult romantic relationships because of an internal working model formed in infancy
70
Q

Describe the effect of early attachments on parenting

A
  • Bailey et al looked at attachment type of nearly 100 mums and their infants (with strange situation) with the relationships they had with their own mothers
  • Found that a vast proportion of the women had the same attachment type to their infant as to their own mums supporting the internal working model
  • Suggests that attachment types are passed through generations
  • Likewise, Harlow’s study using non-human animals also mirror this pattern
  • Monkeys with poor/no attachments were seen to experience difficulties parenting
71
Q

Evaluation of the influence of early attachment on later relationships
The evidence on continuity is mixed

A
  • Mixed research in determining continuity of attachment type from childhood to adulthood
  • Zimmerman suggests that infant attachment type and the quality of relationship between parents and teens aren’t related
  • These findings don’t support the role of the internal working model
  • Whereas, Myers-Wilson and Smith does support Bowlby’s internal working model
  • Which casts doubt on the emphasis placed on this concept by developmental psychologists like Bowlby
72
Q

Evaluation of the influence of early attachment on later relationships
Correlational Research

A
  • Link between influence of early attachment type on later relationships and internal working model is only correlational
  • Whilst an association has been found by many, indicating the quality of later relationships is heavily influenced by attachment type from infancy which doesn’t determine causality
  • Fraley et al found that the correlations weren’t always strong positive ones either, with correlation coefficients ranging from +.10 to +.50
  • This means that correlational research isn’t very reliable due to an unstable array of results
73
Q

Evaluation of the influence of early attachment on later relationships
Methodological Issues

A
  • Much research such as the ‘Love Quiz’ by Hazan and Shaver rely on self-reporting from adults about their infancy memories
  • Recollection from years gone by are likely to be impaired and any answers provided may lack accuracy due to deterioration which lowers the internal validity
  • This problem is further compounded by the possibility that individuals may not report honestly or even have an insight into their own template of expectations since the internal working model is an unconscious framework

Psychology- Attachment (2 decks)

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