Influence of early attachment on later relationships

How does Bowlby’s internal working model affect later relationships?

A baby’s first relationship with their primary attachment figure creates a mental representation of what a relationship looks like - carried into future relationships

How does attachment type associate with the quality of childhood relationships?

• Kerns (1994) found securely attached babies tend to form the best quality childhood friendships, insecure babies struggle.

• Myron-Wilson & Smith (1998) assessed 196 children aged 7-11 in London and found securely attached babies were unlikely to be involved in bulling, avoidant children most likely to be victims and resistant the bullies.

What was Hazan & Shaver (1987)’s Love Quiz?

• Analysed 620 replies printed in an American newspaper.

• Quiz assessed current relationship, general love experiences and attachment type

What was Hazan & Shaver (1987)’s findings?

• 56% secure

• 25% insecure-avoidant

• 19% insecure-resistant

• Secure most likely to have longer lasting relationships

• Avoidant tended to reveal jealousy and fear of intimacy

• Shows how attachment behaviour is reflected in romantic relationships

What research did McCarthy (1999) do on romantic relationships and attachment?

• 40 women studied when they were babies for attachment type.

• Secure had the best relationships.

• Insecure-resistant had problems maintaining friendships.

• Insecure-avoidant struggled with intimacy and romantic relationships.

• Shows attachment types affect adult relationships.

What research did Bailey et al. (2007) do on the effects of internal working models on parenting?

• Assessed attachment in 99 mothers w/ their 1 year olds.

• Measured mother’s attachment with their own primary attachment figures.

• Assessed quality of attachment through Strange Situation.

• Mothers with poor attachment to their primary caregivers were more likely to have poorly attached babies.

• Shows internal working models affect child’s ability to parent their own children.

What research support is there?

Fearon & Roisman (2017) reviewed evidence linking attachment to later development and concluded early attachment consistently predicts later attachments

How does early attachment not always predict later attachment?

• Becker-Stoll et al. (2008)’s Regensburg longitudinal study followed 43 1-year-olds into teens.

• At age 16, attachment was assessed using adult attachment interview, no evidence of continuity.

• May be other important factors into what predicts later development.

What validity issues are there with adult attachment interview?

• Most research is not longitudinal, they just ask adults questions about their relationships and identity attachment type from this.

• Asking Qs relies on honest and accurate perception of participants

• Hard to know whether early or adult attachment is being assessed.

• Adult attachment interview may bring up confounding variables, lowering its validity.

What confounding variables is there?

• Parenting style may influence attachment quality and later development

• Genetically-influenced personality as well

• It is not entirely clear than early attachment is influential and not other factors

What other factors are involved in later development?

• Clarke & Clarke (1998) show that insecure attachment does not necessarily cause increased risk of later development problems - it is not inevitable to have unsuccessful relationships just because of early attachment experiences.

• More likely other factors are involved - genetics, parenting style.

• May create a self-fulfilling prophecy - knowing attachment type may lead you to behave a certain way.