Influence of early attachment on later relationships

• Bowlby suggested that a baby’s first relationship with their primary caregiver leads to a mental representation of relationships, the quality of this first relationship is crucial beacuse this internal working model acts as a template for future child and adult relationships.  
• Relationships in childhood

  Attachment type- associated with the quality of peer relationships in childhood

  Securely attached babies tend to go on to form the best quality childhood friendships whereas insecure attached babies later have friendship difficulties (Kerns)
• The internal working model affects romantic relationships

  Hazan and shaver- analysed 620 replies to a love quiz, it had 3 sections, current or most important relationship, general love experiences, attachment type 

  Findings- 56% of respondents were identified as securely attached, with 25% insecure avoidant, 19% insecure resistant, those securely attached were most likely to have good and longer-lasting romantic experiences. This suggests patterns of attachment behaviour are reflected in romantic relationships.
• Internal working models affects the child’s ability to parent their child, people tend to base their parenting style on their internal working model so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations 

  Bailey- considered attachment of 99 mothers to their babies and to their own mothers, mother-baby attachment was assessed using the strange situation, mother’s attachment to their ow mother was assessed using and adult attachment interview. The majority of women had the same classification both to their babies and their own mothers
• One strength is supporting evidence, meta analysis of studies concluded that early attachment consistently predict later attachment, emotional well-being, attachment to own children. Secure attachment as a baby appears to have advantages future development and disorganised attachment appears to seriously disadvantaged children.

  However, not all evidence supports the relationship between early attachment and later development, longitudinal study followed 43 individuals from one year of age. At 16 attachment was assessed using the adult attachment Interview and there’s no evidence of continuity
• One limitation of most research is that early attachment is assessed retrospectively. Most research isn’t longitudinal so ask the adolescent questions about their relationship with their parents and identify attachment type from this. asking questions relies on the honesty and accurate perception of participants, and it is hard to know if what is being assessed is early attachment or adult attachment. this means measures of early attachment in most studies may be confounded with other factors.
• A limitation is confounding variables, some studies assess attachment in infancy making it valid. However, even these studies may have validity problems because associations between attachment quality and later development may be affected by confounding variables. For example, parenting style may influence both attachment quality and later development and genetically influenced personality may be an influence on both factors.