1. Year 13: PSYA3: Relationships
THE INFLUENCE OF CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT EXPERIENCES ON ADULT RELATIONSHIPS
Year 13: PSYA3: Relationships

2. LESSON OBJECTIVE
To be able to describe and evaluate whether childhood affects adult relationships

3. Check the spec- effects of early experiences on later relationships culture Focus Q: ‘Discuss research into the influence of childhood on adult relationships’

4. ATTACHMENT THEORY
Major way of trying to understand the influence of childhood and adolescent experiences on adult relationships
This includes parent child relationships, and interaction with peers

5. Bowlby (1969) – attachment theory as evolutionary theory
Said attachment behaviour had happened in order for the survival of the species
Criticised by Belsky (1999)
Unless survival enhanced the reproductive fitness of human infants, there wouldn’t have been enough evolutionary pressure for attachment behaviour to evolve.
Belsky says that if attachment behaviour had only been for the individual to survive, it wouldn’t have evolved – the function of natural selection is not to survive – it is to reproduce and survive.
Thus, human attachment evolved because the protection and survival it promoted increased the chances of successful reproduction of those individuals who tended to maintain proximity and/or seek contact with their caregivers.

6. Continuity theory...
Bowlby (1969) said that early relationships do affect those that go on later in life – this is the continuity hypothesis.
Key Term – Internal Working Model

7. Hazan and Shaver (1987)
You should print off and read Hazan and Shaver’s study. It is on the shared area, saved as a word document entitled ‘childhood and adolescent experiences and adult relationships’
it’s a big study into this topic, so it may well be beneficial for you to start learning it now...

8. 18/09/2018
Shaver et al (1988) claimed that what we experience as romantic love in adulthood is an integration of 3 behavioural systems acquired in infancy – attachment, care giving and sexuality systems. (See text book))
The 1st system, attachment is related to the concept of the internal working model which was covered in the AS level
According to Bowlby (1969) later relationships are likely to be a continuation of early attachment styles (secure and insecure) because the behaviour of the infant’s primary attachment figure promotes an internal working model of relationships which leads the infant to expect the same in later relationships.

9. Attachment theory- recap
look up...
Bolwby’s attachment theory
Key part:
Continuity hypothesis
Ainsworth’s attachment types
Key parts:
Securely attached
Insecure avoidant
Insecure ambivalent
Mother’s sensitivity

10. Attachment with parents Relationship with peers
Attachment theory
Attachment with parents
Relationship with peers
Later romantic
relationships
Attachments are an instinctive thing that are formed to help survival.
The first attachment we form is to our parents and will depend on how sensitive the mothers care is (Ainsworth).
The attachment type you develop in childhood (secure/insecure) will continue into later relationships (continuity hypothesis).

11. Attachment theory Supporting Evidence:
Simpson et al 2007, Longitudinal study 25 years+ 78 participants.
1 year- parents reported on attachment behaviours
6-8 years- teachers rated peer interactions
16 years- asked to describe their close friendships
Adulthood- romantic partners asked to describe their experiences
Securely attached infants= higher social competence as children = closer to their friends at 16 years = more expressive and emotionally attached to romantic partners.

12. Commentary on parental relationships (AO2)
The relationship between attachment style and later adult relationships has been investigated in a number of studies.
Fraley (1998) conducted a meta-analysis of studies, finding correlations from to 0.50 between early attachment type and later relationships. They suggested that one reason for low correlations may be because insecure-anxious attachment is more unstable.
However, one key question concerns the stability of attachment types. It could be that an individual’s attachment type is determined by the current relationship, which is why happily married couples are secure. Attachment theory does suggest that significant relationship experiences may alter attachment organisation.
Kirkpatrick and Hazan (1994) found that relationship break- ups were associated with a shift from secure to insecure attachment

13. Interaction with peers (AO1)
18/09/2018
Qualter and Munn (2005) have shown that children also learn from their experiences with other children. The way that a child thinks about himself and others is determined at least in part by specific experiences, which then become internalised. As a result, children may develop a sense of their own value as a result of interactions with others, which in turn determines how they approach adult relationships.
Nangle (2003) claims that children’s friendships are training grounds for important adult relationships. Close friendships are characterised by affection, a sense of alliance and intimacy, and the sharing of secrets and personal information. The experience of having a friend to confide in promotes feelings of trust, acceptance and a sense of being understood.

14. Commentary on interaction with peers (AO2)
Other research (Erwin, 1993) has found that boys relationships tend to be more competitive, a fact attributed to the greater emphasis on competitive play activities.
In contrast, girls are more likely to engage in co- operative and sharing activities.
However, Erwin claims that sex differences in the experience of childhood relationships have been over-emphasised, that many similarities tend to be overlooked.
Gender differences in childhood relationships have been found in a number of studies.
Richard & Schneider (2005) found that girls have more intimate friendships than boys and are more likely to report care and security in their relationships with other girls.

15. Social learning theory
An alternative suggestion to attachment theory
Parke (1988)
Continuity between relationships with parents and ability to make friends is due to relationship skills learnt from parents via modelling (observation and imitation) NOT due to attachment styles.
AO2: Supporting evidence: Russell and Finnie (1990)
Observation of Australian pre-school children in a new social environment.
Found:
‘Popular children’ were seen to have mothers who suggested strategies to help them interact
‘neglected children’ had mothers who encouraged them to play with toys but did not suggest ways to play with others.

16. If you had a good relationship with your dad...
‘Facial Imprinting theory’

17. ‘Facial imprinting’ theories
e.g. Boothroyd et al: Children who have a positive relationship with their mothers/ fathers will ‘imprint’ their parents face as a ‘model’ of what a good partner looks like.

18. ‘Facial imprinting’ theory AO2
Boothroyd (2007):
49 girls asked to rate faces attractive/not
Answered questions on their relationships with their father growing up
They analysed faces of the fathers from pictures the girls brought in and compared them to the faces the girls rated.
Found:
Girls who had a better
relationship with their father
growing up rated faces similar
to the fathers more attractive

19. Possible question
Discuss the influence of childhood on later romantic relationships (4+8 marks)