influence of early attachment on later relationships

first attachment is a template for future relationships

the quality of a childs first attachment is crucial because it provides a template that will affect the nature of their future relationships. this is due to the influence of the internal working model created by the first attachment.

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good experience of attachment- good relationship expectations

a child whose first experience is of a loving relationship with a reliable caregiver assumes this is how all relationships are meant to be. they will then seek out functional within them.

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bad experience- bad relationship experience

a child with bad experiences of their first attachment will bring these experiences to bear on later relationships. this may mean they struggle to form relationships in the first place or they do not behave appropriately in them.

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secure infants form better friendships and are less likely to bully

securely attached infants tend to go on to form the best quality childhood friendship. securely attached infants are less likely to be involved in bullying whereas insecure- avoidant children are most likely to be victims.

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internal working models affect parenting

people base their parenting style on their internal working model so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations of a family.

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procedure- part 1

the researchers analysed 620 replies to a love quiz printed in an American local newspaper. the quiz assessed three different aspects of relationships: respondents current and most important relationship, general love experiences, attachment type.

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findings- part 1

56% of respondents were identified as securely attached, with 25% insecure-avoidant and 19% insecure-resistant.

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findings- part 2

their attachment type was reflected in their romantic relationships: secure respondents were the most likely to have good and longer-lasting romantic relationships, avoidant respondents tended to be jealous and fear intimacy.

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limitation 1- exaggerated

clarke and clarke (1998) describe the influence of infant attachment on later relationships as probabilistic. people are not doomed to always have bad relationships because they had attachment problems.

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limitations 2- not the same as causation

there are alternative explanations for the continuity that often exists between infant and later relationships. the childs temperament may influence both infant attachment and the quality of later relationships.

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influence of early attachment on later relationships

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