influence of early attachments

• internal working model


  -acquired through interactions with the child's primary attachment figure

  -these interactions teach infants what relationships are and how people in relationships treat each other
• Hazan and Shaver (1987)


  -205 men and 415 women responded to a love quiz in an American newspaper asking about current attachment experiences, attachments in childhood and attitudes towards love

  
  

  -56% securely attached

  -25% insecure avoidant

  -19% insecure resistant

  -attachment classifications were similar to infancy
• childhood friendships


  those securely attached in infancy were highest rates for social competence later in childhood
• poor parenting


  Harlows research with monkeys found a link with poor attachment and later difficulties with parenting. Quinton et al showed this was the same with humans
• romantic relationships


  Hazan and Shaver found individuals who were securely attached have longer lasting relationships
• mental health


  lack of internal working model creates inability to empathise and relate
• circle of privation


  children who have experienced privation later go on to be less caring parents
• Internal working model evaluation

  -overly deterministic, studies have found instances were insecurely attached children were experiencing happy relationships in adulthood

  
  

  -cause and effect not established, an infants temperament may affect the way a parent responds which determines their attachment type and may explain issues with relationships in life

  
  

  -Freeney(1999) suggested that adult attachment patterns may result from the current relationship rather than the individual's early attachment type

  
  

  -support from longitudinal studies, Simpson et al (2007) participants who were securely attached at infancy were more expressive and emotionally attached to their romantic partners