The influence of early attachment

• Relationships in childhood

  Securely attached babies tend to go on to form good quality friendships, insecurely attached babies have difficulty with this (Kerns 1994)
• Relationships in childhood

  Can also be linked to bullying, insecure avoidant likely to be victims and insecure resistant to be the bullies (Myron-Wilson and Smith)
• Relationships in adulthood

  Parental and romantic relationships may be affected
• Aim of Hazan and Shaver (1987)


  Designed a quiz to test the internal working model
• What was Hazan and Shaver’s method?

  Created a love quiz that was posted in an American local paper.

  There were a series of questions on current and childhood experiences to determine attachment in childhood

  Then asked about attitudes towards love now
• How many took part in the Hazan and Shaver quiz?

  620 responses - 205 men and 415 women
• What were Hazan and Shaver‘s findings?

  There was a positive correlation between attachment type and experiences of love
• What was the percentage of each type of attachment?

  56% secure

  25% avoidant

  10% resistant
• Secure attachment type

  Current experiences of love - positive and long lasting relationships

  Attitudes towards love - Trusting other and believing in enduring love
• Insecure avoidant attachment type

  Current experiences of love - fearful of getting close, revealed jealousy

  Attitudes towards love - Love is not lasting nor necessary for happiness
• Insecure resistant attachment type

  Current experiences of love - Preoccupied by love

  Attitudes towards love - Fall in love easily but have trouble finding love