evaluation

• evaluate evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed

  • mccarthy supports the idea that IWM affect the nature of future relationships.
  • however, not all studies support the IWM.
  • for example, zimmerman assesed infant attachment type and adolescent attachmetn to parents.
  • there was little relationship between quality of infant and adolescent attachment
  • this is an issue as it is not what we would expect if IWM were important in developement
• evaluate influence of early attachment is probabilistic

  • some attachment researchers have exaggerated the idea that quality of infants attachment is an influence on later relationships
  • clarke and clarke stated that the influence of infant attachment on later relationships is probabilistic
  • people are not doomed to have bad relationships just because they had attachment problems
  • they just have a greater risk of problems
• evaluate self report is conscious but IWM is not

  • there is a theoretical problem with most research related to IWM
  • IWM are unconscious- we are not directly aware of their influence on us
  • we wouldnt expect to get direct evidence about them by means of interbiews or questionnaires because people can only self-report what they are aware of
  • at best, self report gives us indirect evidence about IWM, and even then it is still met with social desirability bias