Week 2= there is a strong casual relationship between an individuals experience with parents are later affectional bonds

Question 1

plan

Answer 1

1. introduction
2. continuity prototype account
3. continuity revisionist account
4. competence hypothesis

Question 2

1a. Introduction

Answer 2

Bowlby= a secure base from which a child can make sorties into the outside world (1988) . Usually aimed at one individual.
- This is formed through the quality of parental care an infant receives,
- Over the years it has been reported that quality of care in early childhood was vital for mental health
- Bowlbys 44 theives demonstrates that ‘prolonged separation’ had long term consequences, growing up to engage in insecure behaviours past infancy

Question 3

1b . introduction

Answer 3

• Continuity derived from attachment theory. States patterns of attachment are stable over the life span. Depending on attachment predicts later ability to form connections, this is called the competence hypothesis
• Essay will look into the evidence for this

Question 4

2a. continuity prototype account

Answer 4

The continuity hypothesis can be split into two competing theories: the prototype account and the revisionist account
- Prototype account proposed by Bowlby = early caregiving give rise to attachment rep, forming ‘working model’ that persist over time and shape interpersonal relationships with others in future

Question 5

2b. continuity prototype account

Answer 5

Evidence (Opie)
Integrated longitudinal studies (Opie et al 2021) 79 samples that used SS 12-75 months later
Moderate associations between classification at early age to later age = support for continuity . Argued this to not be very longitudinal= cant answer if it really does affect our capacity to form relationships later, so longer long needs to be looked to to investigate pattern
Waters 2000
Extended this theory to comparisons at adults , interviewed 50 adults that had SS at infants . Found securely to be largely stable however both studies found more instability within insecure category. Possible explanation that instable classifications are prone to instability when developing, challenging generalisability of continuity

Question 6

3a. continuity revisionist account

Answer 6

Revisionist account agrees early caregiving experiences give rise to attachment rep but changes in caregiving experience can lead to updates representations (Fraley, 2011) e.g. PCG gets sick and cannot tend to child = growing insecure
Evidence
Groh 2014 investigated SS from 15m to AA at 18yrs = secure whilst majority secure at beginning did map to later security but in the other categories about only a third of avoidants remined avoidant etc, identifying a .01 correlation.
Overall found children’s performance at 15 months is not a reliable predictor on category they got in AAI and challenges prototype account and supporting the revisions aspect of the revisionist account

Question 7

3b. continuity revisionist account

Answer 7

Explanation
Explains we have lawful discontinuity, where our environment shapes the stability of our attachment e.g. insecure-> secure= higher levels of parental sensitivity in childhood . Booth-La-Force (2014) provided evidence for this by measuring parenting from 15m to 20m and negative life events . Found lawful discontinuity

Question 8

4a. competence on later relationships

Answer 8

If the continuity account is true- we should see unstable rep give rise to unstable interpersonal relationships
Competence hypothesis= secure attachment leads to positive outcomes in a variety of domains
Evidence
- Groh et al (2014) =meta analysis looked at social competence (ability to build and maintain relationships) . Researchers looked at children early in infancy for attachment security and followed them up in school to measure social competence
- Children who are insecurely attached tend to have worse social competence than secure .No matter the category of insecure, there seems to be an effect. Tells us that the relationship a child had with their PCG sets them up for later social relationships beyond family

Question 9

4b. competence on later relationships / conc

Answer 9

Directionality?
Simple longitudinal design= no early measure of social competence meaning confounding factors such as temperament could explain for later ability to form relationships
Stams (2002) = temperament influenced this finding

5. Conclusion
   Bowlby’s initial idea about protype is probably wrong. Shows things aren’t ‘set in stone’ based on quality of caregiving. If circumstances change, attachment representation will change