Evaluation

• Issue with continuity


  • evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed
  • some studies support the continuity hypothesis and the idea of an internal working model however Zimmerman's research found that there was little relationship - Zimmerman's findings are unexpected if the internal working model is real
• Lacking validity


  • many assessments of early attachments rely on questionnaires and interviews (self-report methods) as a means of categorising participants as a specific attachment type
  • data = retrospective - as it relies upon the participants memory and there is a high chance that this could be inaccurate
• Misinterpretation 


  • association between early and later life attachments does not always mean causality (cause & effect)
  • e.g parenting style may have an impact on attachment and the child's ability to form relationships
  • e.g temperament may influence infant attachment and relationships in later life