1.3 - Attachment (set C Strange Situation, Istitutionalisation and Early Attachment) Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Explain the role of Mary Ainsworth regarding Bowlby’s research?

A

Provided important evidence for his theory - eg the concept of the attachment figures as a secure base

  • Ainsworth was particularly focused on different attachment types - her method of assessing attachment types continues to be the standard test
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Explain the aim of the strange situation?

A

Ainsworth (1971-1978) devised the strange situation to be able to systematically test the nature of attachment

  • aim to see how infants aged between 9 and 18 months behave under conditions of mild stress
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Outline the procedure of the strange situation?

A

Consists of 8 episodes - each designed to hilight certain behaviours (secure-base behaviour, separation anxiety, reunion behaviour and stranger anxiety)

  • data recorded using one way mirror, observations were of 12-18 month olds and their mothers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Outline what took place between each stage of the strange situation and the behvaiour recorded - Give steps 1 - 3?

A

1 - mother and infant go into room together

2 - mother sits down, placing the child on the floor where its free to explore - tests secure-base

3 - stranger enters the room and talks to mother, before leaning towards infant and trying to engage with them - tests for stranger anxiety

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Outline what took place between each stage of the strange situation and the behvaiour recorded - Give steps 4 - 6?

A

4 - mother leaves baby alone with stranger, who tries to comfort it and play with it - tests for separation anxiety

5 - mother returns, stranger leaves - tests reunion behaviour

6 - mother leaves the room, infant is alone - tests separation anxiety

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Outline what took place between each stage of the strange situation and the behvaiour recorded - Give steps 7 and 8?

A

7 - the strange returns, tries to comfort the child - tests stranger anxiety

8 - mother returns, stranger leaves - tests reunion behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Outline the finings of the strange situation experiment?

A

clear distinct patterns in the way infants behaved - developed and classified infants into 3 groups (insecure avoidant, secure attachment and insecure resistant)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Give the 3 types of attachments - give the percentage of infants for each one?

A
  • insecure avoidant attachment - 20%
  • secure attachment - 68%
  • insecure resistant - 12%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Outline features of insecure avoidant attachment (type A)?

A
  • explores but does not come back and use mother as a safe base (secure base)
  • Infant shows no signs of distress when mother leaves (separation anxiety)
  • Infant is not distressed with the stranger and plays with the stranger (stranger anxiety)
  • infant shows no interest and avoids contact when mother returns (Reunion behaviour)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Outline features of secure attachment (type B)?

A
  • will use mother as a safe base to explore the environment (secure base)
  • Mildly distressed when mother leaves (separation anxiety)
  • Wary of stranger when alone but friendly when mother is present (stranger anxiety)
  • Happy when mother returns (reunion behaviour)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Outline features of insecure resistant attachment (type C)?

A
  • infant does not explore (secure base)
  • Infant shows signs of intense distress (separation anxiety)
  • Complete avoidance with stranger, significant distress when interacting with the stranger
  • Child seeks/approaches mother, but resists contact, pushes her away (reunion behaviour)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Give the 4 types of behaviours assessed?

A
  • use of parent as secure base
  • separation anxiety
  • stranger anxiety
  • reunion behaviour
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Give 2 strengths for Ainsworth strange situation experiment?

A
  • observations are reliable - high inter-observer reliability (almost perfect agreement between panel of judges)
  • real world application - intervention strategies can be developed to tackle situations where disordered patterns of attachment develop
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Give 2 weaknesses for Ainsworth strange situation experiment?

A
  • low internal validity - criticism over wether it measures the attachment type of a child or wether it measures the quality of one particular relationship (may be different between father and mother)
  • later research found Ainsworth overlooked a fourth attachment type - original conclusion were oversimplified and did not account for all attachment behaviours
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Explain how cultural variations contrast to Bowlby’s theory?

A

Bowlby suggested attachment evolved to provide protection for the infant, enhancing its survival - this would imply secure attachment should be the optimal form for all humans - not the case, type of attachments varies in different cultures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Explain a major way culture can differ between regions - give an example of two types of cultures?

A

Individualist culture (western) values independence and the importance of the individual - collectivist cultures (Japan) emphasise the importance of group and community

Eg insecure avoidant more common in individualist culture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Studies of cultural variations experiments

A
18
Q

Explain the procedure of the meta-analysis experiment carried out by van IJzendoorn and kroonenberg?

A

Conducted meta-analysis of the findings from 32 studies on attachment behaviour (over 2000 strange situation classifications in 8 countries)

  • observing wether there would be evidence of inter-cultural differences (differences between different cultures/countries) and intra-cultural differences (differences within same cultures)
19
Q

Explain the findings from the meta-analysis carried out by van IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg?

A
  • Secure attachment was the most common classification in every country
  • insecure-avoidant attachment was second most common in every country - expect Japan and Israel (collectivist)
20
Q

What can be concluded about attachment types from van IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta-analysis?

A

Global pattern across cultures is similar to that found in the US - secure attachment is the ‘norm’, most common in all countries

  • suggests secure attachment is ‘best’ for healthly social and emotional development
  • supports view attachment is innate and biological
21
Q

What 2 strengths of IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta-analysis?

A
  • overall the sample size is large - less chance of confounding variables affecting results (involved 1990 babies)
  • Secure attachment were the most common in all cultures studies - showed the findings were consistent
22
Q

What 3 weaknesses of IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta-analysis?

A
  • 18 out of the 32 studies were carried out in America - skewed sample / unrepresentative of global population
  • Strange situation was designed for US, ethnocentrism (designed around a certain culture and does not represent the global population)
  • The socio-economic status of the infant may influence results
23
Q

Outline findings from Grossman and Grossman study on cultural differences?

A

Found higher levels of insecure attachment amongst German infants than in other cultures

  • German culture involved keeping some interpersonal distance between parents and infants - so infants do not engage in proximity-seeking behaviours in the stranger situation so appear insecurely attached
24
Q

Outline findings from Takahashi’s study on cultural differences?

A
  • found similar rates of secure attachment to ainsworth
  • found 0 infants were insecure avoidant and that infants were particular distressed being left alone (90% didn’t compete the whole procedure due to extreme stress)
25
Q

what can be concluded from Grossmanns and Takahashi’s study on cultural differences?

A
  • there are cross-cultural differences in raising children producing different reactions to the strange situations
  • the strongest attachments are still formed with the infants mother
26
Q

Explain how Grossmanns and tekahashis study on cultural differences is evidence that Ijzendoorn and kroonenbergs study is not generalisable?

A

Findings show cross-cultural differences in raising children produce different reactions to the strange situations

Eg - prominent collectivist culture meant infants were not exposed to being alone much and therefore struggle when they experience it

27
Q

Outline Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?

A
  • proposed that prolonged emotional deprivation would have long term consequences in terms of emotional development
  • Deprivation from main caregiver (mother) during critical period (5 years) will result in harmful effects
28
Q

Explain Bowlbys beliefs regarding maternal deprivation?

A
  • believed continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development
  • Separation from this adult causes serious damage - as the internal working model may be impacted - leading to inability to be a good parent ext
29
Q

Explain the procedure of Bowlbys 44 juvenile thieves study?

A

He studied 88 children at his clinic (44 had been caught stealing) and the other 44 were the control group

  • Bowlby suggested some of the ‘thieves’ were psychopaths as they lacked normal signs of affection, shame or responsibility which enabled them to be thieves
30
Q

Explain the findings of the 44 juvenile thieves study conducted by bowlby?

A
  • those diagnosed as affections thieves had experienced frequent early separations from their mothers (86% of the affectionless thieves)
  • 39% of all thieves experienced early separations
  • almost none of the control participants experienced early separations
31
Q

What can be concluded from the 44 juvenile thieves study conducted by bowlby?

A

Early separations are linked to affection-less psychopathy - lack of continuous care may cause emotional maladjustment

32
Q

What did bowlby say was the long term consequence of maternal deprivation?

A

Emotional maladjustment or event mental health problems (eg depression)

  • supported by the findings from the 44 thieves study - 39% of all thieves had experienced separations (consisting of continual or repeated visits in foster homes or hospitals with little family visits)
33
Q

What did Bowlby say about the critical period regarding maternal deprivation?

A

Denial of care and separation towards the infant will only lead to emotional damage if it is during the critical period (2.5 years)

  • risk can be up to 5 years if their is no substitute mother person
34
Q

What did Bowlby say about the value of maternal care?

A

Well-feeding and keeping the infant safe and warm is not enough instead they need a ‘warm, intimate and continuous relationship’ with the mother to ensure normal mental health

35
Q

Outline the real world application of Bowlbys work on maternal deprivation - mention spitz and wolfs research as evidence?

A

Changed how children were looked after in hospitals - no longer separated from parents

Spitz and wolf research found that babies separated from mothers in prison at 3 months but received regular visits thrived, while those that received no visits in the orphanage displayed development delays

36
Q

Outline 4 consequences of maternal deprivation?

A

• risk of becoming an affection less psychopathy
• Turing to delinquency and committing small crimes eg vandalism,antisocial behaviour ext
• Lower cognitive abilities
• Problems forming relationships

37
Q

Explain the findings from Bowlby and Robertsons further research on maternal deprivation?

A

Observed children experiencing intense distress when separated from their mothers - found three progressive stages of distress

  • protest
  • despair
  • detachment
38
Q

Outline the 3 different stages of distress investigated by Bowlby and Robertson - explain the features of each?

A
  • protest - child cries, and protests angrily when the parent leaves , tries to cling onto the parent
  • despair - child’s protesting begins to stop appear calmer although still upset, refuses other attempt to comfort
  • detachment - child begins to engage with other people, reject caregiver on return
39
Q

Outline the advantages/strengths of Bowlby’s work on maternal deprivation?

A
  • provides research support for his maternal deprivation hypothesis
  • His research is influential in this area of attachment
  • Has impact child care practises (eg adoption or orphanages)
40
Q

Outline the disadvantages/weaknesses of Bowlby’s work on maternal deprivation?

A
  • research for the 44 thieves is only correlational - can’t say the separations from the mother caused the behaviour
  • Failed to explain why the two in the control (who had prolonged separation) did not become delinquent
  • Investigator effects - Bowlby got the children from his clinic to participate - could have tried to prove his hypothesis
41
Q

outline the problem of Bowlby’s research on maternal deprivation regarding the fact it was conducted at his own clinic - how could he have avoided this?

A

Investigator effects - he got the children from his clinic to participate - may have picked the children he thought would best prove his hypothesis is true

  • could have overcome investigator bias by using random sampling or having someone else pick the names