Mental model

Internal Working Models are a mental representation of repeated interactions of children with significant other as described by Bowlby (1973). The interactions are around meeting attachment needs and emotional regulation. Attachment needs include the maintenance of proximity with the primary caregiver who is nurturing to the child. Thus, the nature of the child’s relationship with the primary caregiver including emotional availability and responsiveness is in effect the building blocks of the Internal Working Model (Fletcher & Clark, 2003). The Internal Working Model refers to self and significant other; the child’s sense of feeling worthy for loving care and the caretakers timely responsiveness as well as emotional availability determines the nature of the working model of the child.

The Internal working model is similar concept to what psychologist call schemas, scripts and prototype (Fletcher & Clark, 2003) . The major difference is that the internal working model is multidimensional and complex. Working models are created in an attachment system reflecting past history of experiences regarding beliefs. Therefore, the beliefs about self and other serve as a template to all future relationships. A good working model is one that accurately reflects social reality as experienced by the child.

Internal Working Model (IWM) is a primarily unconscious process whereby a person’s psychic structure is organized. Internal working model is a mental representation of a relationship starting from infancy (Fletcher & Clark, 2003). Internal Working Model is formed early on as a result of repeated interaction with other people - often the primary care giver. Hence, overtime there is a schema built around emotional memory.