Subjectivity in parent-infant relationships: A discussion of internal working models

Abstract

Bowlby (1969/1982, 1973, 1980) has proposed that internal working models of self and other are psychic structures that guide an individual's subjective experience of and responses to others in important relationships. They are termed “working” models because they are believed to be dynamic mental representations that are modifiable, although they are presumed to become more resistant to change after the early years. This paper reviews Bowlby's construct of internal working models, including some recent empirical evidence usefully explained by the construct. The authors apply the construct of working models to parents' subjective experiences of their infants and review some preliminary evidence that suggests that parental working models of their infants are present even prior to the infants' birth and influence the parents' perception and interpretation of the infants' characteristics and behaviors. The authors then consider the development of infants' working models of self and other in the context of parental attributions. They conclude that subjectivity in parent‐infant relationships is an exciting and promising area for investigation, although, at present, future progress is limited by problems of measurement. A brief discussion of directions for future research is included.

Psychopathology in Infancy

“…For example, a child's modulation of aggression at age 2 years may be predicted by direct and indirect paths involving prebirth measures of marital adjustment, maternal competence and maternal warmth (Heinecke, Diskin, Ramsey-Klee & Oates, 1986). How parents construct and experience relationships with their infants is powerfully influenced by parental characteristics evident before the baby's birth (Belsky, Lang & Rovine, 1985;Cowan, Cowan, Hemming & Miller, 1991;Heinicke, Diskin, Ramsey-Klee & Given, 1983;Lewis, Owen & Cox, 1988;Zeanah & Anders, 1987).…”

Outcome evaluation in brief mother-infant psychotherapies: Report on 75 cases

“…First, it is likely that brief therapies cannot easily modify the underlying, unconscious "models" of the representations, and particularly representations of past relationships that are incorporated into the personality structure Zeanah & Anders, 1987;Zeanah & Barton, 1989;Zeanah & Osofsky, 1994). It is true that "internal models have a propensity for stability, and once established tend to be perpetuated" (Crowell & Feldman, 1988, p. 1273.…”

Family dynamics as predictors of infant disposition

“…All in all, these results lend support to the idea that prenatal assessments of parental perceptions and personality characteristics predict postnatal ratings of infant temperament, and that these postnatal ratings are reasonably valid assessments of the infants' actual behavior. Zeanah and Anders (1987) suggested as an interpretation of their findings that parents develop internal working models of their infants before birth and that they respond to their infants in terms of these working models. Thus parental expectations toward the infant many shape its developing disposition.…”

“…(See discussion in Kohnstamm, 1986. ) For example, Zeanah and Anders (1987) found that both mothers' and fathers' prenatal ratings of their infant's temperament correlated both with their postnatal ratings and also with observer ratings of their infants. All in all, these results lend support to the idea that prenatal assessments of parental perceptions and personality characteristics predict postnatal ratings of infant temperament, and that these postnatal ratings are reasonably valid assessments of the infants' actual behavior.…”