AO3

• A key weakness is that much of the supporting research relies on retrospective data.

  -Studies like Hazan and Shaver ask adults to recall their early attachment experiences.-This is problematic because memories may be inaccurate or distorted, leading to low internal validity. Participants may reconstruct memories based on their current relationship status, not actual childhood experiences.-Therefore, conclusions about the influence of early attachment may be based on flawed data.
• A weakness is that Some research challenges the idea that early attachment has a fixed influence.

  -Zimmerman et al. (2000) found that childhood attachment type was not a good predictor of later relationship quality.

  -Life events such as parental divorce or trauma had more influence on adult relationships than early attachment type-This weakens the internal working model as a deterministic explanation and suggests that later experiences also play a crucial role.
• Another weakness is that Wood believes that

  -the quality of a relationship results from the interaction of the two people in it and attachment styles.

  -therefore insecurely attached people can have securely attached relationships as adults if they are in a relationship with a person who was a securely attached as a child

  -this shows that attachment types are not as fixed as prev suggested
• Another weakness is that Hazan and Shavers explanation can be considered reductionist

  -The theory may be reductionist, oversimplifying the complexity of human relationships.-It focuses mainly on early attachment, ignoring other influential factors like temperament, social class, culture.-For example, a child with an insecure attachment may still develop strong adult relationships if they have secure friendships or therapy later in life.-This reduces the explanatory power of early attachment and suggests a more holistic approach is needed.
• Another strength is that the theory has valuable practical applications

  -Understanding the link between early attachment and later relationships has informed interventions like the Circle of Security project and key worker systems in childcare.

  -By fostering secure attachments in early childhood, these interventions aim to improve long-term relational and emotional outcomes.-This shows the usefulness of attachment theory beyond academia, enhancing its social and economic value.