Strengths:
+ monotropy and hierarchy
- there is one attachment which has special importance over the hierarchy of many other attachments. Schaffer and Emerson found that infants form many attachments e.g mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, friends etc. however, infants primary attachment is towards the mother or father.
+Caregiver sensitivity
- Schaffer and Emerson observed that infants who were strongly attached had mothers who would quickly respond to them and gave them more interaction whereas infants who has made a weak attachment had mothers who had failed to interact with them.
-Carlson (1998) found that insensitive care giving is associated with problems in adulthood
-Harlows study found a one way attachment with the wire mother with no response of affection. The infants became maladjusted adults.
+The continuity hypothesis
Sroufe et al (2005) study was a longitudinal study where they observed the participants for a long period of time in this case it was from infancy to late adolescence. They found continuity between early attachment and later in emotional/social behaviour. Individuals who had a secure infancy were rated as a high for social competence, less isolated and more popular. This demonstrates continuity.
Weakness:
+multiple attachments
- many psychologists believe that all attachment figures are equally as important. There is research where secondary attachments to a father or any siblings serve important purposes for emotional adjustment. Key role for fathers in development (Grossman and Grossman)
+Alternative explanation
- Temperament hypothesis (Kagan 1984) rather than the continuity hypothesis
- Innate personality factors could be prime factor to form attachments then go on to form secure adult relationships. This can explain why certain infants or people can form better attachments than others can.
- Thomas and Chess (1977) = the easy, difficult and slow to warm up
- Bokhorst et al (2003) = greater similarity in temperament for identical and non identical twins.
+ monotropy and hierarchy
- there is one attachment which has special importance over the hierarchy of many other attachments. Schaffer and Emerson found that infants form many attachments e.g mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, friends etc. however, infants primary attachment is towards the mother or father.
+Caregiver sensitivity
- Schaffer and Emerson observed that infants who were strongly attached had mothers who would quickly respond to them and gave them more interaction whereas infants who has made a weak attachment had mothers who had failed to interact with them.
-Carlson (1998) found that insensitive care giving is associated with problems in adulthood
-Harlows study found a one way attachment with the wire mother with no response of affection. The infants became maladjusted adults.
+The continuity hypothesis
Sroufe et al (2005) study was a longitudinal study where they observed the participants for a long period of time in this case it was from infancy to late adolescence. They found continuity between early attachment and later in emotional/social behaviour. Individuals who had a secure infancy were rated as a high for social competence, less isolated and more popular. This demonstrates continuity.
Weakness:
+multiple attachments
- many psychologists believe that all attachment figures are equally as important. There is research where secondary attachments to a father or any siblings serve important purposes for emotional adjustment. Key role for fathers in development (Grossman and Grossman)
+Alternative explanation
- Temperament hypothesis (Kagan 1984) rather than the continuity hypothesis
- Innate personality factors could be prime factor to form attachments then go on to form secure adult relationships. This can explain why certain infants or people can form better attachments than others can.
- Thomas and Chess (1977) = the easy, difficult and slow to warm up
- Bokhorst et al (2003) = greater similarity in temperament for identical and non identical twins.