Script-like Representations of Early Secure Base Experience

Harriet Waters, Everett Waters, Stony Brook Lab

This monograph length report of recent research describes several years of work on script-like representations of early secure base experience. In collaboration with students and colleagues they have completed a number of studies examining links between adults' script-like attachment representations and their AAI classifications, their infants' Strange Situations classifications, and co-construction of children's attachment representations. The report also includes data on the cross-cultural generality of script-like attachment representations, the development of attachment representations in adolescence, and on generalized versus relationship specific attachment representations.

This work is a significant contribution to our understanding of the cognitive architecture of attachment representations. The specificity and economy of the assessments developed in this work are proving helpful in basic and applied research. The methods also have potential for use in screening and other clinical applications.