continuity hypothesis

• Continuity hypothesis

  Bowlbys attachment theory suggests that early relationships with our caregivers provide the basis on how we will conduct our later adult relationships
• Attachment styles - 2 attitudes

  1-attitudes about ourselves (self-esteem)

  2-attitudes about other people (interpersonal trust)
• secure attachment 


  If we feel highly valued & caregivers are dependable & reliable = likely to have high self esteem and trust others
• Type A and caregivers behaviour towards child

  Caregivers are distant and not intimate with their child - child wants to be close to caregiver but is likely to be rejected
• Type B and caregivers behaviour towards child

  Caregivers are responsive and sensitive to infants needs. infants trust their caregivers and aren’t afraid of being abandoned
• Type C and caregivers behaviour towards child

  Caregivers are inconsistent and overbearing in their affection- infants are anxious as they never know when and how caregivers will respond
• Summary - a child who has a secure attachment style 


  Will have developed an internal working model that will lead to positive interactions with their friends and romantic partners and better parenting skills
• Summary - a child with an insecure attachment style

  Will develop an internal working model that will lead to negative interactions with their friends and romantic partners and will struggle with their parenting skills
• evaluation for romantic relationships

  The love quiz - over 600 volunteers completed questioner

  3 parts -

  current relationship experiences

  attachment history

  attitudes towards love
• Type A and adult relationship behaviour

  Fear intimacy in romantic relationships and believe they don’t need love to be happy
• Type B and adult romantic relationships

  Happy and trusting relationship, last longer than insecure types ( 10 years vs 5-6 years)
• Type C and adult relationship behaviour

  Obsession, emotional highs and lows, extreme attraction and jealousy - worried partners would abandon them
• 3 methological issues with love quiz

  -volunteer/biased sample

  -social desirability bias (questionnaire on sensitive subject)

  -retrospective data (may be inaccurate)
• evaluation for childhood friendships

  Minnesota parent-child study

  followed p‘s from infancy to late adolescence

  found continuity between early attachment and later social behaviour

  those classed as securely attached in infancy were rated higher in social competency in later childhood - were more popular and empathetic
• Evaluation for childhood friendships 2

  Lack of attachment during critical period would result in Lack of IWM resulting in attachment disorder

  children with AD have experienced severe neglect or frequent change in caregivers , they have no attachment figure , an inability to interact with others - shows that negative experiences in early attachment influence later childhood relationships in a negative way
• Evaluation for parenting skills

  Mothers brought up in care were found to interact poorly with their own children, this is because they had no IWM to provide a template for how to look after their children effectively - harlows monkey study also demonstrates this
• General evaluation

  Theory is deterministic - behaviour of caregiver WILL effect attachment style and we have no free will over behaviour but many children with insecure attachments will experience happy adult relationships and friendships
• General evaluation

  Focus of nurture - environment

  doesn’t take nature into account- reductionist