Evaluating types of attachment

Evaluating types of attachment

1. Validity; does the strange situation really measure attachment? Some say it only measures particular relationships, e.g. Main and Weston (1981) found children behaved differently depending which parent they're with. Suggesting classification of attachment type may not be valid because they're measuring one relationship rather than something lodged in the individual. Construct validity is shown as other studies have supported the four attachment types; they're confirmed as distinctly different categories. Predictive validity is demonstrated in the correlations found between early attachment types and later behaviours.

2. Reliability; reliability of the strange situation has been assessed using inter-rater reliability - comparing ratings made by judges. Ainsworth et al found almost perfect agreement when rating exploratory behaviour.

3. Ethics; is it acceptable to cause mild stress to infants? Ainsworth claimed the situation would not cause anymore distressing that ordinary life experiences. But at stage 6, 20% of infants cried 'desperately' - causing potential distress which would be ethically inappropriate to use with infants.

4. Factors influencing attachement type.

   • Sensitivity; Ainsworth developed the Maternal Sensitivity Scale to rate mothers' behaviours e.g. sensitivity - insensitivity to infants' signals. Ainsworth et al (1978) found key group of differences in maternal scores in the SS: (1) mothers of securely attached infants were more sensitive, accepting, cooperating and accessible. (2) mothers of insecurely attached were more unresponsive to crying and less affectionate. (3) mothers of avoidant infants were more rejecting and paid less attention. (4) mothers of resistant infants tended to be occupied with routine activities when holding the infant.
   • Temperament; the temperament hypothesis was put forward by Kagan 1984 that may be a component in attachment type, although evidence is uncertain.
   • Maternal reflective functioning; some studies found low correlations between measures of maternal sensitivity and strength of attachment(e.g. Raval et al, 2001). Slade et al (2005) found greater role for maternal reflective functioning - ability to understand what someone else is thinking and feeing. They suggested that this rather than sensitivity may be the central mechanism in establishing attachment type.

5. Effects of attachment type.

   • Behaviour in later childhood; number of longitudinal studies support this link. Prior and Glaser (2006) provide following summary: (1) secure attachment associated with positive outcomes like higher achievement orientation. (2)Avoidant attachment related to later aggressiveness and generally higher negative affects. (3) Resistant attachment is associated with greater anxiety and withdrawn behaviour. (5) Disorganised attachment linked to hostile and aggressing behaviour.
   • Adult romantic behaviour; Hazan and Shaver (1987) investigated Bowbly's internal working model hypothesis using a 'love quiz' in a newspaper. It asked about early experiences (to classify attachment type), about current love experience/involvements and attitudes towards love (interal working model). They found there were characteristic patterns of later romantic behaviour associated with each attachment type (table on p.58) Supports Bowlby's, though can't be certain that early attachment experiences caused later attachment types.