Evaluation

• Methodological issues

  -Hazan and Shavers research used self report method and adult interview in Baily's research introduces SDB.

  -Adults may give answers which make it look like they had a positive childhood relationship which reduces validity.
• Deterministic

  -Suggests poor experiences with Primary caregiver in infancy will result in negative and insecure internal working model and negatively affect later social relationships.

  -Underestimates free will, have conscious ability to change behaviour so can raise a child sensitively even of they have had poor parental experiences.
• Cause and effect

  -Bailey et al and Hazan and Shaver can't establish cause and effect relationship. Can't say that a person's early attachment and internal working model was the cause of the behaviours in future adult relationships. These studies were correlational studies which lacked control.
• Subjectivity

  -Hazan and Shavers questionnaire PP were giving their subjective opinion rather than objective.

  -Retrospective data, PP are required to recall memories from years ago, recall may be inaccurate and invalid.
• Counter evidence

  -Romanian Orphans raised in institutionalised care is neglected and little to no opportunity to form an attachment, less than 1.

  -If adopted early enough they could form a secure attachment, loving and caring parents during critical period.

  -Twin boy study: had each other and may have confounding variables.