Influence of Early Attachment on Future Relationships

• :) RTS Harlow

  > monkeys had no early attachment - found it very difficult to form relationships when they were older (difficulty mating and females were inadequate mothers)

  > supports because it shows having negative early attachment can lead to negative relationships in later life

  discussion - animal bias
• :( deterministic

  > our later relationships are controlled by early relationships

  > neglects the role of free will, for example, a person who experienced an insecure attachment in childhood may choose to form a positive, secure attachment with their child

  > limiting research into influence of early attachment
• :( socially sensitive

  > suggests that later relationships are solely due to a person's early childhood attachment - blames the parents for relationship failures

  > may have a damaging effect

  > raises ethical issues
• :( based on retrospective data

  > participants have to think back to their early attachments - relies on individuals accurately recalling their childhood, but memory has been found to be inaccurate

  > lowers the internal validity