INFLUENCE OF EARLY ATTACHMENTS ON LATER RELATIONSHIPS

• First attachment is a template for future relationships 


  The quality of a child’s first attachment is crucial because it provides a template that will affect the nature of their future relationships. This is due to the influence of the IWM created by that first attachment. 
• Good attachment = good relationship expectations 


  A child whose first experience is a loving relationship with a reliable attachment figure assumes this is how all relationships are meant to be. They will then seek out functional relationships. And behave functionally within them.
• Bad attachment = bad relationship expectations 


  A child with bad experiences of their first attachment will bring these experiences to bear on later relationships. This may mean they struggle to form relationships in the first place or they do not behave appropriately in them.
• Childhood. Link with friendships and bullying

  Securely attached babies tend to go on to form the best quality childhood friendships (KERNS 1994).

  Securely attached children are less likely to be involved in bullying whereas insecure-avoidant children are most likely to be victims and insecure-resistant are most likely to be bullies (MYRON-WILSON AND SMITH 1998).
• Adulthood. Link with parenting style and romantic relationships

  People base their parenting style on their IWM. BAILEY ET AL (2007) found the majority of mothers had the same attachment classification to their babies as they had to be their own mother. 

  HAZAN AND SHAVER found a link between attachment type and quality of adult romantic relationships. 
• HAZAN AND SHAVER (1987) LOVE QUIZ:

  Procedure

  The researchers analysed 620 replies to a ‘love quiz’ printed in an American local newspaper.

  The quiz assessed 3 different aspects of relationships:

  1. Current and most important relationship
  2. General love experiences
  3. Attachment type
• HAZAN AND SHAVER (1987) LOVE QUIZ:

  Findings and conclusions

  The respondents’ attachment type was reflected in their romantic relationships:

  • Secure respondents were the most likely to have good and longer lasting romantic relationships
  • Avoidant respondents tended to be jealous and fear intimacy