Internal Working Model

• Hazan and Shaver (1987) - designed the “love quiz” for testing the internal working model to assess if attachment formed as an infant influences adult relationships
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz - published in a local American newspaper and received 620 volunteer responses ( 205 males and 415 females ). It had three sections.
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz -

  first section : assessing ppts most important relationships
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz -

  section section : focuses on general experiences in love
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz -

  third section : asked ppts about their feelings in relation to some statements
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz - results:

  56 % were securely attached

  25 % were insecure avoidant

  19 % were insecure resistant
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz - results:

  a positive correlation was found between early attachment type and experiences. Those that had secure attachment were more likely to have long and lasting relations
• Hazan and Shaver (1987), the love quiz - conclusion:

  Specific attachment types are reflected in romantic relationships because of an internal working model formed
• AO3. There are methodological issues with assessing attachment type retrospectively. The Love Quiz ( Hazen and Shaver ) relies on retrospective self reporting from adults childhood memory. This means that results are not completely true and the conclusion drawn may not be reliable. Ppts also may not report honestly, as they want to protect their self image.
• AO3. Research into the impact of attachment on childhood and adult relationships have very set views on the outcomes for future behaviour. For example, a child with an insecure attachment type is viewed as more likely to have poor quality and unsatisfactory relationships because of the internal working model. This approach is overly deterministic. There has been research that individuals still can have happy relationships