Early attachment and later life

• What is the internal working model in relation to attachment?


  It is a model formed from a child's primary attachment that influences future relationships.
• How does a loving relationship with a caregiver affect a child's future relationships?


  A child will tend to seek out functional relationships and behave functionally within them.
• What impact do bad experiences with attachment have on a child's later relationships?


  They may struggle to form relationships or behave inappropriately within them.
• What attachment type is likely to have the best friendships as teenagers?

  • Secure attachment type
• Which attachment type is most likely to be bullied?


  • Insecure avoidant attachment type
• Which attachment type is most likely to be a bully?


  • Insecure resistant attachment type
• Which attachment type is most likely to have good long-term relationships with partners?

  • Secure attachment type
• Which attachment type is most likely to experience jealousy with their partners?


  • Insecure avoidant attachment type
• Which attachment type is most likely to fear intimacy with their partners?


  • Insecure avoidant attachment type
• What was the focus of Hazan and Shaver's (1987) study?


  To study the association between attachment and adult relationships.
• What method did Hazan and Shaver use to collect data in their study?


  They analyzed replies to a 'love quiz' printed in a local newspaper.
• What were the three sections of the 'love quiz' used by Hazan and Shaver?


  Current relationship, general love experiences, and attachment type.
• What percentage of respondents in Hazan and Shaver's study were identified as securely attached?


  56%
• What did the findings of Hazan and Shaver suggest about attachment behavior?


  Patterns of attachment behavior are reflected in romantic relationships.
• What did McCarthy (1999) find regarding securely attached infants?


  They had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships.
• What problems did insecure-resistant infants face in adulthood according to McCarthy (1999)?


  They had particular problems maintaining friendships.
• What difficulties did insecure-avoidant infants face in romantic relationships according to McCarthy (1999)?


  They struggled with intimacy.
• What is the continuity hypothesis in attachment theory?


  • Consistency between early emotional experiences and later relationships
  • Children’s attachment types reflected in later relationships
• What is Bowlby's view on attachment?


  He sees attachment as monotropic, with infants forming a primary attachment to one person.
• What are the three attachment types identified by Ainsworth in the Strange Situation?


  Secure, insecure avoidant, and insecure resistant.
• What did Kagan propose as an alternative explanation for continuity in relationships?


  He proposed the temperament hypothesis, suggesting innate personality influences attachment quality.
• What limitation does the evidence on continuity of attachment present?


  There is mixed evidence regarding the relationship between infant and adolescent attachment.
• Why is the evidence on attachment considered subjective?


  Most studies rely on self-report methods, which depend on honesty and accurate recollections.
• What does the association between infant attachment and later relationships not imply?


  It does not imply causation; other factors may influence both.
• How do Clarke and Clarke (1998) view the influence of infant attachment on later relationships?


  They describe it as probabilistic, suggesting people are not doomed to have bad relationships.
• What cultural limitation is associated with the Strange Situation?


  It may not be applicable across different cultures, as attachment perceptions vary.
• What are the assessment objectives for discussing research into early attachment and adult relationships?

  • AO1: Knowledge and understanding of concepts and studies
  • AO3: Analyze, interpret, and evaluate psychological concepts and research
• What is the role of Bowlby’s internal working model in attachment theory?


  • Provides a blueprint for later attachment
  • Influences relationships and parenting styles
• What are the implications of the continuity hypothesis in attachment theory?


  • Early relationships affect later relationships
  • Attachment types influence adult relationship quality