Influence of early attachment

• What are the two types of relationships influenced by early attachments?


  Childhood relationships and adult relationships
• What is the Internal Working Model according to Bowlby?


  It is a model formed by an infant's primary attachment that serves as a template for future relationships
• How does attachment type affect childhood and adult relationships?


  • Secure: Stable friendships and relationships
  • Insecure Avoidant: Avoids relationships, prefers independence
  • Insecure Resistant: Difficulty in friendships and relationships, inconsistent behavior
• What effect does secure attachment have on childhood relationships?


  It leads to stable and good friendships
• What effect does insecure avoidant attachment have on adult relationships?


  Difficulty or unwillingness to hold down a long-term relationship
• How do securely attached infants fare in terms of friendships?


  They tend to form the best friendships
• What did Smith (1998) find regarding secure children and bullying?


  Secure children were unlikely to be involved in bullying
• What are some mental health issues linked to insecure attachments?


  Depression, anxiety, and attachment disorder
• What did Bailey (2007) find regarding mothers and their infants' attachment types?


  The majority had the same attachment classification as their own mother
• What were the aims of Hazan & Shaver's (1987) study?


  • Explore attachment theory's perspective on adult romantic love
  • Create a framework for understanding love, loneliness, and grief
• What method did Hazan & Shaver use to gather data in their study?


  They asked participants to fill in a "love quiz"
• What correlation did Hazan & Shaver find between attachment type and love experiences?


  They found a positive correlation
• What percentage of adults were assessed as securely attached in Hazan & Shaver's study?


  56%
• How did securely attached individuals view their relationships according to Hazan & Shaver?


  They believed in lasting love and had trust in others
• What did McCarthy (1999) find regarding insecure-avoidant attachment?


  Those with insecure-avoidant attachment had less successful relationships
• What is the Temperament Hypothesis?


  • Suggests adult relationship quality is determined by innate biological personality factors
  • Proposes that changing attachment style won't affect relationship quality
• What are some limitations of the research on attachment and relationships?

  • Research is often correlational, not causal
  • Relies on questionnaires, risking social desirability bias
  • Retrospective classification may lead to flawed recollections
  • Mixed evidence on continuity of attachment
  • Deterministic view may imply lack of free will in relationships
• What is a major issue with correlational research in attachment studies?


  It cannot establish cause and effect relationships
• What is a potential flaw in using questionnaires for attachment research?

  They may be affected by social desirability bias
• What did Zimmerman (2000) find regarding infant attachment type and adolescent attachment?


  There was very little relationship between the two
• Why is the deterministic view of attachment considered negative?


  It suggests insecurely attached children are doomed to unsatisfactory relationships