The Influence of Early Attachment

Question 1

What is the role of the internal working model?

Answer 1

Bowlby’s concept of the internal working model is that infants learn about relationships from experiences

Question 2

Describe the procedure of Hazan and Shaver’s study

Answer 2

• Hazan and Shaver designed a study to test the internal working model
• They placed a ‘Love Quiz’ on the news that asked about current attachment experiences and attachment history to identify current and childhood attachment types. It also asked about attitudes towards love, an assessment of the internal working model.

Question 3

Describe the findings of Hazan and Shaver’s study

Answer 3

• They found a similar prevalence of attachment to that of infancy - 56% = secure, 25% = avoidant and 19% = resistant.
• They found a positive correlation between attachment type and love experiences. Securely attached adults described their love experiences as happy, friendly and trusting; they were able to accept and support their partner despite faults, they had enduring relationships (10 years on average, while 5 years for resistant and 6 for avoidant)

Question 4

How does the internal working model influence childhood friendships?

Answer 4

• The Minnesota child-parent study found continuity between early attachment and later emotional/social behaviour .
• Securely attached individuals were rated highest for social competence later in childhood, were less isolated and were more popular and empathetic. In terms of the internal working model, securely attached infants have higher expectation that others are friendly and trusting which enables easier relationships

Question 5

How does the internal working model influence poor parenting?

Answer 5

• Harlow’s research with monkeys showed a link between poor attachment and later difficulties with parenting.
• Quinton et al showed that the lack of an internal working model means that the individual lacks a reference point to then form relationships with their own children

Question 6

How does the internal working model influence romantic relationships?

Answer 6

Hazan and Shaver showed a link between early attachment type and later relationships. Securely attached individuals had longer-lasting romantic relationships.

Question 7

How does the internal working model influence mental health?

Answer 7

• Lack of attachment during the critical period in development would result in a lack of an internal working model.
• Children with attachment disorder have no preferred attachment figure, an inability to interact and relate to others that’s evident before the age of 5.

Question 8

Give evaluation for the influence of early attachment (supporting evidence)

Answer 8

• Support for the influence of early attachment on late relationships.
• McCarthy studied 40 adults women has been assessed when they were infants to establish their early attachment type. Those assessed as securely attached in infancy had positive adult relationships and friendships. Adults as insecure-resistant in infancy had problems maintaining friendships.
• This research is strong as it didn’t rely on retrospective accounts of early attachment. This provides clear support for the link between early attachment and later relationships.

Question 9

Give evaluation for the influence of early attachment (Studies linking the internal working and early attachment might be correlational)

Answer 9

• It’s possible that both attachment style and later love styles are caused by something different, like innate temperament.
• An infant’s temperament affects how a parent responds and thus may be determining factor in infant attachment type. The individual’s temperament may explain their issues with relationships later in life.
• This means that researchers cannot claim that the internal working model determines later relationships. In this case temperament is an intervening variable.

Question 10

Give evaluation for the influence of early attachment (issues with methodology with research into the influence of early attachment)

Answer 10

• e.g. Hazan and Shaver’s study is likely to be affected by social desirability bias. This is as respondents likely want to portray themselves as having more positive relationships than perhaps they may have had.
• Furthermore, it’s also affected by the use of retrospective self-report methods. This means that respondents had to think back and retrospectively report their early attachment.
• This is an issue because it may affect the validity of the findings, and therefore the conclusions around the relationship between early attachment and later relationships.