Attachment - influence of early attachment on later relationships

Question 1

what is the internal working model

Answer 1

• acts as a template for future childhood and adult relationships
• quality of the first attachment is crucial

Question 2

relationships in childhood

Answer 2

Kerns (1994)
- securely attached babies form best quality childhood friendships
- insecurely attached babies have friendship difficulties later on

Wilson and Smith (1988)
- assessed attachment type and bullying using questionaries in 196 children aged 7-11 from London
- secure children unlikely to be involved in bullying
- insecure-avoidant likely to be victims
- insecure- resistant likely to be bullies

Question 3

relationships in adulthood

Answer 3

McCarthy (1999)
- studied 40 adult women assessed when babies to determine attachment type
- securely attached had best adult friendships and romantic relationships
- insecure-resistant had problems maintaining friendships
- insecure - avoidant struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships

Question 4

what is the Love Quiz research

Answer 4

• Hazan and Shaver (1987)
• analysed 620 replies to a love quiz from an American newspaper
• first section assessed respondents’ current / most important relationships
• second assessed general love experiences
• third assessed attachment type by describing feelings

Question 5

what were the findings of the love quiz

Answer 5

• 56% securely attached = good and long lasting romantic relationships
• 25% insecure avoidant = jealousy and fear of intimacy
• 19% insecure resistant

Question 6

what are the strengths of early attachments on later relationships

Answer 6

Fearon and Roisman (2017)
- early attachment consistently predicts later attachments
- later development depends on the attachment type and aspect of later development
- disorganised attachment associated with mental disorders

Question 7

what are the limitations of early attachments on later relationships

Answer 7

Confounding Variables
- influence of parenting style - infant studies
- genetically influenced personality
- cannot be sure that it is early attachment and not another factor that influences later development

Validity issues
- most research isn’t longitudinal
- usually ask adults about relationships with their parents
- asking questions relies on accurate responses
- difficult to know if it is early attachment being assessed or later attachment