Influence of Early Attachment on Childhood & Adult Relationships (AQA A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes

Influence of Early Attachment on Childhood & Adult Relationships

Key concepts

The study of how early attachment experiences shape later relationships centres on two important psychological concepts:

Continuity hypothesis - the idea that there is consistency between early emotional experiences and later relationships. This suggests that the attachment patterns we form in infancy continue to influence how we relate to others throughout our lives.

Internal working model - a mental representation of an individual's relationship with their primary caregiver that becomes a template for future childhood and adult relationships. This psychological framework shapes our expectations and behaviours in relationships based on our earliest experiences.

Psychologists have been particularly interested in examining whether attachments formed in infancy affect the relationships individuals develop in childhood and as adults. The continuity hypothesis suggests that children's attachment types become reflected in their later relationships, with continuity between early attachment experiences and subsequent relationships throughout life.

Childhood relationships

Research demonstrates that early attachment styles significantly influence the quality of childhood peer relationships and friendships. Studies consistently show that securely attached children develop better social skills and more positive relationships with peers.

Supporting research

Youngblade & Belsky (1992) conducted research with 3-5 year old children and found that those who were securely attached displayed more positive characteristics in their peer interactions. These children were more curious, competent, empathetic, resilient and self-confident. They also got along better with other children and were more likely to form close friendships compared to insecurely attached children.

Mullis et al. (1999) discovered that attachment patterns formed with parents in infancy are reflected in the attachments children later make with their peers during late childhood. Laible (2000) supported this finding by demonstrating that children transfer attachment behaviours learned in early childhood to social situations and peer groups. This research supports the idea of continuity from early attachments and validates the internal working model concept.

Westermarck (1891) observed an interesting pattern regarding close childhood relationships. He found that children who form very close friendships in the first six years of life do not generally go on to form romantic relationships with each other in adulthood. This suggests that early attachments do influence later relationship patterns, though sometimes in unexpected ways.

Shepher (1971) examined 3,000 Israeli marriage records and discovered that children who were raised together on a kibbutz did not marry each other. This finding supports Westermarck's observations and demonstrates how early social experiences can influence adult relationship choices.

Evaluation of childhood relationship research

Early attachment experiences have a substantial influence on determining the quality of subsequent childhood relationships. Children who form secure attachments appear to benefit most in terms of developing positive personal characteristics and social abilities that support healthy peer relationships.

Adult relationships

Research indicates intergenerational continuity between adults' attachment types and their children's attachment patterns, with children often adopting the parenting styles of their own parents. There appears to be continuity between early attachment styles and the quality of later adult romantic relationships.

Research evidence

McCarthy (1999) assessed the quality of adult relationships among 40 women aged 25 to 44 years who had experienced childhood insecure attachments. Women with insecure-avoidant attachments experienced less successful adult romantic relationships, whilst those with insecure-resistant attachments had problems forming non-romantic adult friendships. This supports the concept of an internal working model influencing adult relationship patterns.

Kirkpatrick & Davis (1994) studied 300 dating couples over three years and found that those identified as having secure childhood attachments were more likely to have stable and satisfying relationships. This provides strong evidence supporting the idea of continuity from an internal working model developed in early childhood.

Belsky (1999) examined relationship dynamics and found that women with childhood secure attachments experienced less conflict with husbands on topics related to time spent together and household division of labour compared to insecurely attached women. Securely attached individuals were also more likely to manage conflict in mutually focused ways and felt greater love for their partners. This pattern applied to both dating and married couples, demonstrating consistency with attachment theory predictions.

Classic research: Hazan & Shaver (1987)

Evaluation:

• Strengths: This research provided groundbreaking evidence connecting infant attachment theory to adult romantic relationships, showing continuity across the lifespan. The findings closely matched established patterns from childhood attachment research.
• Weaknesses: The study relied on self-report measures and retrospective memories of childhood, which may not be entirely accurate. The research was correlational rather than experimental, limiting conclusions about causality.

Additional research evidence

Brennan & Shaver (1995) found that individuals classified as insecure-avoidant were willing to engage in sexual activity without strong emotional feelings or enduring relationships. Similarly, Hazan & Shaver (1994) discovered that such individuals were more likely to have one-night stands and sexual encounters outside established relationships, preferring purely physical rather than emotionally intimate contact. This supports the concept of the internal working model influencing adult behaviour patterns.

Kunce & Shaver (1994) identified that women with childhood insecure-resistant attachments reported the highest levels of 'compulsive caregiving' - they were most likely to agree with statements such as 'I can't seem to stop from "mothering" my partner too much.' This demonstrates how early attachment experiences can create specific patterns in adult relationship behaviours.

Evaluation

Strengths of the continuity hypothesis

The research demonstrates significant continuity between early attachment styles and later relationship quality. Attachments formed between infants and their carers have a substantial influence in determining the quality of subsequent childhood relationships, with those forming secure attachments seeming to benefit most in terms of developing positive personal characteristics and social abilities.

Early attachment types can be seen to influence the development of individual differences in cognitive ability, emotional responses and social skills, all of which affect the quality of later childhood relationships. This provides strong support for the internal working model concept.

Limitations and alternative explanations

Research evidence shows mixed support for the continuity hypothesis. Steele et al. (1998) found only a small correlation of 0.17 between having a secure attachment type in childhood and early adulthood, whilst Zimmerman et al. (2000) found that attachment style at 12-18 months of age did not predict the quality of later relationships. Instead, life events experienced, such as parental divorce, had a much larger influence.

Considerations about research limitations

The research showing continuity of childhood attachment style into adulthood doesn't always occur consistently. Insecurely attached children don't necessarily become insecurely attached adults. Continuity decreases as individuals progress further into adulthood, suggesting that people participate in several important friendships and love relationships throughout their lives, providing opportunities for revising mental models of self and others.

Research from Main et al. (1985) supports an optimistic view, finding that some adults who were insecure in relationships with parents produced securely attached children. These parents had mentally worked through their unpleasant experiences and developed more positive mental models of relationships typical of the securely attached.