Influence of early attachment on later relationships

• Influence of early attachment on later relationships

  Internal working model

  Bowlby (1969) suggested that a child's first relationship w/ PCG forms mental representation which acts as a template for future relationship. If child's first experience is of loving relationship w/ reliable caregiver, will assume is how relationships are meant to be. Will seek out future relationships and behave functionally within them w/out being too uninvolved or too emotionally close (Type A behaviour) or controlling and argumentative (Type C behaviour).
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships 2

  Internal working model 2

  Child w/ bad experiences of first attachment will bring these bad experiences to bear on later relationships. Struggle to form relationships in first place or may not behave appropriately when they have them, displaying Type A or Type C towards friends and partners.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships 3

  Relationships in later childhood

  Attachment type is associated w/ quality of peer relationships in childhood. Securely attached infants tend to go on to form the best quality childhood friendships whereas insecurely attached infants later have friendship difficulties. Bullying behaviour can be predicted by attachment type. Myron-Wilson and Smith (1998) assessed 196 children aged 7-11 from London. Secure = unlikely to be involved. Insecure-avoidant = victims. Insecure-resistant = bullies.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships 4

  Relationships in adulthood with romantic partners

  Hazen and Shaver (1987) conducted classic study of association between attachment and adult relationships.

  Procedure- analysed 620 responses to 'love quiz' in American local newspaper. Had 3 sections: assessed respondents' current or most important relationship, assessed general love experiences such as number of partners, assessed attachment type by asking to choose which of 3 statements best described their feelings.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships 5

  Relationships in adulthood with romantic partners 2

  Findings- 56% respondents identified as securely attached w/ 25% insecure-avoidant and 19% insecure resistant. Those reporting secure attachments were more likely to have good and longer lasting romantic experiences. Avoidant respondents tended to reveal jealousy and fear of intimacy. Suggest patterns of attachment behaviour are reflected in romantic relationships.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships 6

  Relationships in adulthood as a parent

  People tend to base parenting style on internal working models to attachment type tends to be passed through generations. Bailey et al. (2007) considered attachments of 99 mothers and to their babies and to their own mothers. Mother-baby attachment assessed through Strange Situation and mother-own mother attachment assessed using adult attachment interview. Majority had same attachment classification to babies and own mothers.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships- evaluation

  Not all studies support internal working models. Zimmerman (2000) assessed infant attachment type and adolescent attachment to parents. Very little relationship between quality of infant and adolescent attachment. Problem as not what we would expect if internal working models were important in development.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships- evaluation 2

  Most studies have issues of validity. Do not make use of SS but assess infant-parent attachment by means of interview or questionnaire not at infancy but years later. Retrospective nature of assessment lacks validity as relies on accurate and honest recollections.
• Influence of early attachment on later relationships- evaluation 3

  Association does not mean causality. Implication of studies is that infant attachment type causes the quality of later relationships. However other factors such as parenting style and child's temperament may influence both infant attachment and quality of later relationships. Counter to Bowlby's view that the internal working model caused these later outcomes.