Relationships in Adulthood

• Internal working models affect romantic relationships and parental relationships with one's own children. Hazan & Shaver conducted a classic study of the association between attachment and adult relationships.
• They analysed 620 replies to a love quiz in an American newspaper. One section assessed responders current / most important relationship. Seconal section assessed general love experiences. Third Section assessed attachment type by asking respondents to choose which of 3 statements best described their feelings.
• • 56% securely attached - most likely to have good & longer lasting relationships.
  • 25% insecure - avoidant - most likely to reveal jealousy & fear of intimacy.
  • 14% insecure - resistant - must most to reveal jealousy & fear of intimacy. The findings suggest patterns of attachment behaviour are reflected in romantic relationships.
• McCarthy studied 40 women who had been assessed when they were babies to establish their early attachment type.

  Securely attached babies had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships.

  Insecure - resistant babies had difficulties maintaining their friendships.

  Insecure - avoidant babies struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships.
• IWM also affects the child's ability to parent their own children. People usually tend to base their persnting style on their IWM so attachment type is usually passed on through generations of a family. Bailey considered the attachments of 99 mothers to their babies and to their own mothers. Mother-baby attachment was assessed using ASS & mother's attachment to their own mother was assessed using an adult attachment interview. The majority of women had the same attachment classification : both to the babies and their own mothers.