Early Attachments affecting later relationships.

• Attachment type is associated with the quality of peer relationships in childhood (Kerns):

  • Those with secure attachment are most likely to form the best quality friendships.
  • Those with insecure attachment are more likely to have difficulties with future friendships.
• Who investigated the effects of early attachment on bullying?

  Wilson & Smith
• Wilson & Smith's research into bullying:

  196 children from London were assessed using questionnaires on their attachment type and involvement in bullying.

  • Secure - very unlikely to be involved in bullying.
  • Insecure Avoidant - most likely to be bulling victims.
  • Insecure Resistant - most likely to be bullies.
• Who investigated the effects of early attachment on romantic relationships?

  Hazan & Shaver
• Hazan and Shavers research into romantic relationships:

  They obtained 620 responses to their 'love quiz'. These responses were assessed on current or most important relationships, the number of partners & attachment type as an infant by asking them to select from three statements which one best reflected their feelings.
• What were the findings of Hazan and Shavers research into romantic relationships?

  They found that:

  • 56% of those with secure attachment experienced long lasting relationships.
  • 25% of those with insecure avoidant attachment experienced a fear of intimacy.
  • 19% of those with insecure resistant attachment experienced jealousy.
• Bowlby suggests that people base their parenting styles on their internal working model, meaning that attachment types are passed on through generations.
• Who investigated the effects of early attachment on parenting style?

  Bailey et al.
• Bailey et al.'s research into parenting styles:

  They reviewed the attachments types of 99 mothers and their 1 year old babies. Also assessing the quality of attachment that the caregiver had with their own mothers.

  Infant mother attachments were investigated using the Strange Situation, while mother to mother attachments were investigated in interviews.
• What did Bailey et al. find in their research into parenting styles?

  They found that the majority of women had the same attachment type classification with their own baby as they did with their own mothers.