AO1 - Attachment Theory

• Bowlby suggested that early difficulties in attachment leads to poor internal working models which leads to emotional troubles later on in life

  • This can lead to poor psychological health in the future which is linked to forming parasocial relationships
• Insecure resistant attachment in childhood

  • Seek to have unfulfilled needs met in adult relationships (inconsistent care in early life)
  • These individuals have a need for close emotional relationships and parasocial ones do not bring a fear of rejection, break up and disappointment that real relationships do
  • More likely to form parasocial relationships
• Secure attachment in childhood:

  • Can develop loving two-way relationships in real face-to-face relationships
  • Have little need for parasocial relationships
• Insecure avoidant attachment in childhood:

  • Have difficulty trusting others
  • Indulge in behaviours designed not to create intimacy, therefore are less likely to foster close emotional ties in either face-to-face or parasocial relationships
  • Less likely to form parasocial relationships