Influence Of Early Attachment On Later Relationships (Attachment)

Question 1

What was the study conducted to find the influence of early attachment on later relationships?

Answer 1

Hazen and Shafer: The Love Quiz

Question 2

What was the procedure of the Love Quiz?

Answer 2

Hazen and Shafer:
- 620 replies to a ‘love quiz’ in an American local newspaper.
- 3 Sections:
1.) Current/most important relationship
2.) General love experiences e.g. number of partners
3.) Attachment type by asking pps to respond with which of 3 statements best fit their feelings.

Question 3

What were the findings to the ‘Love Quiz’?

Answer 3

• 56% Securely attached
• 25% Insecure-Avoidant
• 19% Insecure-Resistant
  –> Secure = longer lasting & good romantic experiences
  –> Avoidant = Jealousy and fear of intimacy, more likely to be divorced

Question 4

What was the conclusion to the ‘Love Quiz’?

Answer 4

Patterns of attachment behaviour are reflected in romantic relationships

Question 5

What does Kerns say about the association between attachment type and the quality of relationships between peers?

Answer 5

KERNS:
- Securely attached babies form the best quality childhood friendships
- Insecurely attached babies have friendship difficulties

Question 6

Who says about the association between early attachment types and bullying?

Answer 6

Myron-Wilson and Smith

Question 7

What did Myron and Wilson do?

Answer 7

• Found attachment type can predict bullying behaviour.
• Assessed attachment type and bullying involvement using standard questionnaires on 196 children 7-11 in London.
  –> Secure = unlikely to be involved
  –> Avoidant = likely to be victims
  –> Resistant = likely to be bullies

Question 8

How does Bailey et als research link to the influence of early attachment on later relationships?

Answer 8

Bailey et al:
- Looked at the attachment type of 100 mothers and infants (assessed in the Strange Situation) with the relationships they had with their own mothers (established in an interview).
- A vast proportion of women had the same attachment type to their infant as their own mother –> supporting the concept of the internal working model.

Question 9

What is the strengths to the influence of early attachment on later relationships?

Answer 9

+ Research support:
E.g. Fearon and Roisman - reviewed evidence and found that early attachment consistently predicts later attachment, emotional well-being and attachment to own children
–> Strength of relationship depends on attachment type and aspect of later development
–> Secure = advantages for later development, Disorganised attachment = associated with mental disorder
COUNTERPOINT:
- Not all evidence supports the existence of close links between early attachment and later development.
E.g. the Resensberg longitudinal study followed 43 individuals from age 1, assessed at 16 in interview –> no evidence of continuity

Question 10

What is the limitations to the influence of early attachment on later relationships?

Answer 10

• Validity issues with retrospective studies
  –> Most research isn’t longitudinal
  –> Just asks adolescents about relationship with parents
  –> No clarity on whether it is assessing early attachment / adult attachment
  E.g. Regensburg longitudinal study
• Confounding variables
  –> Some studies do assess attachment in infancy
  E.g. McCarthy: studied 40 adult women who were assessed as babes, those assessed as secure had the best romantic relationships
  –> But confounding variables still can affect the validity
  –> E.g. parenting style, genetically-influenced personality
  Therefore, cannot know whether it is early attachment or something else.