How do Tony and Jo think their experiences of attachment and separation may have affected them, and how does this relate to Bowlbys theory of attachment?

Page 1

How do Tony and Jo think their experiences of attachment and separation may have affected them, and how does this relate to Bowlby’s theory of attachment?

Abstract

This qualitative analysis examines the experience of a middle aged couple using pre-existing material consisting of 3 interviews on video tape and transcripts. It explores how attachment and separation in their early life may have affected them and relates this to Bowlby’s theory. The study concludes that there are other influences apart from the mother/mother figure that have an impact on adult attachment styles.

Introduction

Bowlby says that the relationship between mother and child is the prototype for all future relationships. Human infants have a biological drive to achieve security through the relationship to the mother figure – this is the primary attachment. He draws on different sources in constructing his theory such as; systems theory/cybernetics, ethology, neuroscience, primate research, object relations and developmental psychology.

Bowlby’s whole focus is on the ‘mother or mother figure’ and that the infant builds up an ‘internal working model’ which is essential for later mental health, future relationships and social behaviour. This is made up of three components; model of self, model of the mother figure and the model of the relationship between the two.

Page 2

For the infant to build this, the mother has to be a secure base for the infant, especially during exploration. The infant needs to be certain that the mother can be returned to, to provide comfort and support should the environment become too demanding.

Ainsworth, a colleague of Bowlby’s went on to identify three different attachment types based on the behaviour of mothers and infants observed in the ‘strange situation’

The types are: Type A: insecure, anxious avoidant

Type B: secure

Type C: insecure, anxious ambivalent

According to attachment theory, the type of infant attachment can be associated with an adult attachment type. These are: Type A dismissing, Type B secure and Type C preoccupied. It is also thought that a mother’s attachment style will have an affect on the infant’s attachment style.

Research shows (cited in Wood, C. et al 2002 pg 33) that the infant attachment style does not always predetermine the adult attachment style. It was found that life events such as illness and divorce had the most significant influence. Another study revealed that the correspondences between attachment styles were found mostly in family’s that had stayed the same, with no major outside events.

There are also secure adult attachment types who have had difficult childhoods. This has been called ‘earned attachment type’ and is thought to be due to positive future relationships.

This is a preview of the whole essay

There are also secure adult attachment types who have had difficult childhoods. This has been called ‘earned attachment type’ and is thought to be due to positive future relationships.

Page 3 Although Bowlby’s attachment theory is helpful in understanding the role of the mother in a child’s life, and the effects it can have long into adult life. It does not take into consideration the effects of outside influences. Whilst this primary relationship with the mother is important, it does appear that life changes are equally as important. Finally, in the studies mentioned here, it is worth saying that they have not said what the mother did in any of these circumstances – was she there as a secure base whilst the changes were happening, or did they affect her, having an impact on the child’s stable base?

Method

Using pre existing material from the Open University, I, an Open University student carried out a thematic analysis on two semi structured interviews. The transcripts for these were provided in a booklet together with a video tape of the interviews. Two researchers were used to interview the same couple; the first was a woman who knew the couple quite well. The second was a man who had never met the couple before. They both focused on the same question of identity, allowing the couple to reflect on their experiences. There was also a further interviewer who attempted to get the participants to reflect on their experiences of the two interviews.

Throughout the interview, a camera crew were present filming as the interviews are by consent used for teaching purposes. This makes the interviewing conditions quite different and the effect that this may have on the people being interviewed and the interviewees will be taken into account in the report.

To carry out the thematic analysis I used ‘condensation, and ‘categorization’. After reading through the transcript, I then watched the video tape and selected three main

themes. I condensed the data down and allocated what data fitted into what category by using a colour system. The annotated transcript can be found in appendix 1.

Analysis

In view of the research question ‘How do Tony and Jo think their experiences of attachment and separation may have affected them, and how does this relate to Bowlby’s theory of attachment?’ I have found three major themes – ‘childhood’, ‘work’ and relationships’.

The reference to Tony and Jo’s childhood is discussed in both interviews. In the first interview Jo concludes that they have completely different experiences when in fact they have strong similarities as both their father’s were taken away during the war and they were both removed from the family home.

Childhood

TONY

I had a very disrupted childhood.

Line 24

Oh well mine was completely different. I was evacuated. I went to boarding school for the next ten years.

Lines 43 -47

TONY

One experience that Jo and I both had as young children was that, that our fathers were taken away from us because of the war.

Lines 89 - 91

Obvious separation from the father and uncertainty of his return – did the mother give comfort, was there a mother or mother figure?

Work

Tony and Jo state their identities as being ‘workaholic’.

TONY

A workaholic to a certain extent.

Line 7

Perhaps we’re both tarred with the same brush of being workaholic.

Line 11

Tony’s father and Jo’s mother were brought up as Methodists; Jo thinks they could be ‘workaholics’ because of that attitude.

Could have been the Methodist attitude.

Line 62

TONY

That makes us to a certain extent, the sort of people we are

Lines 66 - 67

Parents influence

Workaholic - ‘preoccupied’ adult attachment style

Relationships

Tony and Jo are emphatic on the point that they do not have a shared identity

Never. 114

TONY

Never, I mean not at all. 115

TONY

But I don’t feel for one minute as though we are one being 127

if you like. 128

I don’t think it’s right anyway. 129

TONY

We work we work towards that I have to say. 131

Contradiction

Dismissive/avoidant?

In regard to the relationship with their children Tony speaks of them being very independent

TONY

I can well imagine our children going right throughout life and leading very independent lives.

lines 140 - 141

if you want to nurture and encourage your children, then some one or other has got to stay, perhaps hold back a little to give as much as you can to your children.

lines 145 - 148

Jo seems very clear on this point. Is this because she did or didn’t have a strong mother figure in her childhood?

TONY

our children are not going to be awfully influenced by our lifestyle in our early years. Lines 151 - 152

Why does Tony think this?

No. But don’t you think that it’s the base that you create as being the stability because children like stability.

Lines 153 - 154

Discussion

There appears to be different attachment styles emerging in this interview in different areas of Tony and Jo’s life, however, they both seem to have forged a strong attachment to their work. It is also evident that there have been external events in their lives which have had some impact on how they are as adults.

Tony and Jo’s workaholic identity could be seen as self absorbed, this fits in with the ‘preoccupied’ adult attachment style. They both mention that it could be because of their parents influence – the Methodist attitude. In relation to Bowlby’s theory, he presents the Mother or mother figure as being of primary importance. A child’s internal working model is created by the child’s attachment to its mother, and affects behaviour in future relationships. The only reference to ‘mother’ is when Tony mentions her (Jo’s mother) being brought up as a Methodist. As Jo believes she was influenced by this, I can infer that she must have had some role in Jo’s life. Was she hard working throughout Jo’s childhood, or was she there to give of herself during that time?

Jo certainly seems to have values about putting things on hold to be able to nurture the children, and her voice tone becomes definite; she speaks with certainty about this. Jo also mentions providing a secure base for her children which is central to Bowlby’s

Page 9 Nicola Tomkins X6727539

development of an ‘internal working model’. Whether this is something she values because of her own experience or because it’s something she feels she missed out on, was not covered in this interview. It would be interesting to explore Tony and Jo’s relationship with their mother. Jo speaks more of sacrifice and nurture whilst Tony doesn’t seem to think that their early lifestyle will have had much influence on the children. Tony’s response there did not seem to answer the interviewer’s question and throughout the interview I could not find what Tony’s values/views are on raising children. This could be avoidant/dismissive behaviour?

It’s interesting that Jo sees her childhood as completely different to Tony’s as they both experienced separation from their father’s during the war and were removed from the family home. This could be perceived as dismissive or it could be that Jo did have a primary attachment in early childhood and the upheaval during the war was very traumatic for her. It also suggests that life changes can have an impact on future attachment styles. Jo didn’t talk about boarding school, I would have liked to explore that further Neither mention the impact that this had on them, or the relationship they had with their father’s. Tony mentions that it was his father who had a Methodist attitude and this could have affected his being a ‘workaholic’.

Throughout the interview Tony’s body language seemed quite rigid and his answers to questions delayed. In the third interview he says about not wanting to be perceived as boring and wanting to be articulate. He also mentions about not wanting to delve into subjects too deeply. I feel this gave the interview lack of depth and an unnatural flow.

Due to the unusual setting of the interview; intrusion of cameras and the knowledge that the tape will be watched by many students all over the UK, it is likely that this had an affect on all who took part in the interview. Tony and Jo didn’t seem quite at ease and the interviewers were also quite fidgety. Jo was particularly restless fiddling with Tony’s glasses (in the second interview) and swinging her leg to and fro. There was no tentative language used, it was all very factual without emotion. I perceived Jo’s body language to be closed throughout the interview as her whole body was turned at an angle away from Tony. I don’t know why Tony removed his glasses for the second interview – maybe he felt more relaxed after being interviewed first by someone he knew. Or, it could be that he felt more relaxed with a stranger asking the questions in the second interview

Reflexive analysis

The interview with Tony and Jo was in an unusual setting and covered a broad range of topics. The whole of the interview had also been edited to provide a selected shortened version for training purposes. I feel this gave a rather unrealistic qualitative research interview. As mentioned in the discussion, there are some subjects I would have liked to have explored further. Another point on using pre-existing data is that it didn’t give the opportunity to choose and research something that would have been of more interest to me.

The interview felt as if it just skimmed the surface of topics which made it difficult for me to get involved in the process of analysing the interview and may have affected

the outcome of the analysis. None of Tony and Jo’s experiences matches my own so I couldn’t relate to them easily. I have had no religious upbringing so was not sure what the Methodist work ethic meant.

In view of Kvale’s metaphors, the first view about treasures being revealed if the right questions are asked is very interesting but I much prefer the second view with the interviewer as a traveller. This is because it suggests that there is mutual gain from the interviewer and the interviewee and that the interview, instead of being pre-determined and asking questions to gain specific answers, is an exploration for all taking part. This interview was limited in this way so I cannot speak from experience.

Word count: 2020

References

Wood, C. Littleton, K. Oates, J. (2002) Lifespan development in Cooper, T. Roth, I. Challenging Psychological Issues, Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Goodley, D. Lawthom, R. Tindall, C. Tobbell, J. Wetherall, M. (2002) Understanding People: Qualitative Methods in Methods Booklet 4, Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Banister, P. (2002) Qualitative Project in Methods Booklet 5, Milton Keynes, The Open University.

The Open University (2002) DSE212 Video 1: Research Methods in Psychology. [Video]. Part 4: Interviewing, Milton Keynes, The Open University.