Early attatchment Flashcards
(20 cards)
How does the internal working model affect future relationships
Carries our perception of what relationships are/should be like.
* A child whose first experience is of a loving relationship with a reliable caregiver assumes this is how all
relationships are meant to be.
- suggested that those who have secure attachments as children will go on to have higher quality childhood and adult relationships compared to those who have insecure attachments.
What is a prospective cohort study
a longitudinal cohort study that follows a group of similar individuals (cohorts) who differ with respect to certain factors under study to determine how these factors affect rates of a future outcome
What is a retrospective cohort study
a longitudinal cohort study where a cohort of individuals that share a common exposure factor is compared with another group of equivalent individuals not exposed to that factor to
determine the factor’s influence on a current outcome
What was the aim of the Minnesota study
Investigate whether attachment type in infancy is associated with the quality of friendships in later childhood
What was the method of the Minnesota study
Followed participants from infancy to late adolescence. 200 mothers who were viewed as being at moderate risk for parenting difficulties due to the challenges associated with poverty.
Assessments of the early
caregiver relationship were made at both 12 and 18 months using the Strange Situation procedure.
Ppts behaviours including their peer relationships continued to be studied into late adolescence.
What were the results of the Minnesota study
Securely attached children were rated most highly for social competence later in childhood, were less isolated and
more popular than insecurely attached children.
What was the conclusion of the Minnesota study
Supports the claim that early attachment influences later childhood emotional/social behaviour
What is a strength of the Minnesota study
Longitudinal research
What is a limitation of the Minnesota study
Ignores temperant
Evaluate longitudinal research as a strength of the Minnesota study
P: Longitudinal.
E: Same participants were studied from infancy regarding their attachment behaviours, to adolescence regarding their peer relationships.
E: Strength because the study design does not have the problem of individual differences between the ppts acting as confounding variables and therefore the findings have high internal validity. Research is strong evidence to support the theory that early attachment does influence childhood relationships.
ignoring temperament Evaluate confounding variables as a limitation of the Minnesota study
P: Mmay be affected by a confounding variable.
E: Kagan has argued that temperament of the child is a more important influence on a child’s behaviour in the strange situation.
E: This is a limitation because it suggests that the findings of the Minnesota study may not be internally valid. Thus the research is not strong evidence to support the theory that early attachment influences childhood relationships. .
What was the aim of Hazan and Shaver’s study?
o investigate whether attachment type in infancy is associated with romantic relationships much later in life.
What was the method of Hazan and Shaver’s study?
620 replies to a ‘love quiz’ printed in an American newspaper were analysed.
Quiz assessed three different aspects of relationships:
1. Respondents’ current and most important relationship.
2. Respondents’ general love experiences such as the number of partners.
3. Respondent’s attachment type by asking the respondents to choose which of three statements best described their feelings (towards their primary attachment figure in infancy).
What were the results of Hazan and Shavers study
- 56% of respondents were identified as securely attached and were the most likely to have positive and longer
lasting romantic experiences. - 25% of respondents were identified as insecure avoidant and tended to reveal jealousy and fear of intimacy
What was the conclusion of Hazan and Shavers study
Findings suggest that attachment type was reflected in their romantic relationships in adulthood.
Supports the claim that early attachment does influence adult relationships.
What is a strength of Hazan and Shavers study
Supported by research (McCarthy)
What are limitations of Hazan and Shavers study?
Retrospective data
Social desirability bias
Evaluate retrospective data as a limitation of Hazan and Shavers study
P: Makes use of retrospective data which may be susceptible
to memory bias.
E: Asked participants to recall information regarding their feelings towards their primary
attachment figure from many years earlier. They may not have recalled this information accurately.
E: Limitation because, if the information recalled was not accurate, this would confound the results. As a result, the findings and conclusions of their study would lack internal validity.
Evaluate Social desirability bias as a limitation of Hazan and shavers study
P: Ppts may respond with socially desirable answers.
E: Asked participants about the number of romantic partners they have had and about their
feelings towards their primary attachment figure. Ppts may lie about this e.g., downplay the number of partners or any negative feelings they have towards their caregiver to present themselves in a more
positive light.
E: Limitation because, if participants have not given honest answers, this would confound the results. As
a result, the findings and conclusions of their study would lack internal validity.
Evaluate supported by research as a strength of Hazan and Shavers study
y
