6 Flashcards
(25 cards)
What part of Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory relates to the influence of early attachments on later relationships?
Internal working model
Define internal working model
Infant’s mental representation of their relationship with their primary attachment figure - thought to act as a template for future relationships
Why is the first infant-caregiver relationship (primary attachment) important?
Acts as internal working model for infant, creating a template of how they treat others + expect to be treated in future relationships
This long lasting effect can be described using CONTINUITY HYPOTHESIS
What is the continuity hypothesis?
Idea that early relationships with caregivers predict later relationships (in later childhood + adulthood)
What kind of later relationships are people with Secure (B) early attachments generally supposed to have?
Functional, good relationships
What kind of later relationships are people with Insecure (A+C) early attachments generally supposed to have?
Less good future relationships
What later relationships are looked at?
- Relationships in childhood (with other children + adults)
- Romantic relationships in adulthood
- Parental relationships in adulthood
How are early attachments thought to influence childhood relationships?
Impact quality of friendships + involvement in issues such as bullying
What childhood relationships are expected from an Insecure-Avoidant (A) early attachment?
- Struggle to make friends, displaying avoidant behaviour (e.g. keeping to themselves, being emotionally disconnected to others)
- Often bullied
What childhood relationships are expected from an Insecure-Resistant (C) early attachment?
- Struggle to make friends, displaying resistant behaviour (e.g. may manipulate friendships, seeking attention/control, but also showing dislike/anger towards others)
- Often bully others
Who did research to support the continuity hypothesis of early attachments affecting childhood relationships?
Wilson + Smith (1998)
Outline the research by Wilson + Smith (1998)
Aim:
To assess attachment types’ links to childhood bullying behaviour
Procedure:
- 196 children from London (age 7-11)
- Did standard questionnaire
Findings:
- Avoidant (A): Often bullied
- Secure (B): Unlikely to be involved in bullying
- Resistant (C): Often bully
Conclusion:
Early attachment type does affect childhood relationships, which can be seen in bullying behaviour patterns
Who did research to support the continuity hypothesis of early attachments affecting adult romantic relationships, suggested originally by McCarthy?
Hazan + Shaver (1987)
Who originally suggested that romantic relationships are affected by early attachments?
McCarthy (1999)
What type of romantic relationships did McCarthy suggest Securely Attached (B) children had?
Good, trusting, long-lasting relationships
What type of romantic relationships did McCarthy suggest Insecure-Avoidant (A) children had?
Avoid close romantic relationships, struggle with intimacy
What type of romantic relationships did McCarthy suggest Insecure-Resistant (C) children had?
Struggle to maintain romantic relationships, often argumentative, obsessive and controlling
Outline the research by Hazan + Shaver (1987)
Aim:
To access attachment type’s link to later life romantic relationships
Procedure:
- ‘The love quiz’ questionnaire in Rocky Mountain News
- 620 replies analysed
- Format of questionnaire:
1) Assessed most important current relationship
2) Assessed general love experiences
3) Assessed attachment type
Findings:
- Secure (56%) - Good, trusting, long-lasting romances
- Avoidant (25%) - Avoid romances, distant, fear intimacy
- Resistant - Struggle to maintain romances, obsessive, controlling, argumentative
Conclusion:
Early attachment type does affect later romantic relationships
How is parenting style thought to be affected by early attachments?
Those with secure attachment type will be best parents - have a good internal working model of how to be a parent
Who did research to support the continuity hypothesis of early attachments affecting adult parental relationships?
Bailey et al (2007)
Outline the research of Bailey et al (2007)
Aim:
To assess attachment types’ link to later life parental relationships
Procedure:
- Used ‘Strange Situation’ procedure to compare attachment types of 99 mothers to their own mother and to their child
Findings:
- Majority of mothers formed same parental attachment type (to their child) as their early attachment type (to their mother)
Conclusion:
- Early attachment type does affect later life parental relationships
What animal research can also be used to support the continuity hypothesis?
Harlow (1958)
How do Harlow’s findings support the continuity hypothesis?
Deprived/prived monkeys (without secure internal working model)
- Struggled to form healthy adult relationships (aggressive, etc)
- Struggled to form healthy parental relationships (often reject own children, etc)
Give a positive evaluation point for the theory that early attachment type has an impact on later life relationships
Research support
- Childhood - Wilson + Smith (1998 - Bullying study)
- Romantic - Hazan + Shaver (1987 - Love Quiz)
- Parental - Bailey et al (2007 - Strange Situation mother comparison)
- Fearon + Roisman (2017) reviewed all of this collective research + agreed that early attachment does affect later life
BUT… All of these studies have small individual methodological issues (e.g. Hazan + Shaver’s Love Quiz: local, volunteer sample lacks generalisability)
