3. Attachment Flashcards
Attachment
A close emotional bond shared by two people
Quality of attachment is inked to emotional, cognitive and social development
Bowlby - Emotional Attachment
strong, affectionate ties to certain people in our lives
Reciprocal relationships
affection and attachment goes both ways e.g. parents to child and child to parent
Interactional synchrony - Synchronized Routines
Routines established between caregivers & infants over the first few months that contribute to the growth of attachment
- Routine smoothens over time, becoming more satisfying for both parties
Attachment Phases
Asocial phase
Phase of indiscriminate attachments
Specific attachment phase
Phase of multiple attachments
Attachment phases - asocial phase
Birth to 6 weeks
2. Social and nonsocial stimuli produce equal positive effects/reactions
3. End of period - preference for social stimuli
Attachment phases - indiscriminate attachments
6 weeks to 6/7 months
Infants enjoy human company
Protest at being put down
3-6 prefer regular caregiver but love attention from all adults, even strangers
More quickly soothed by a regular caregiver
Attachment phases - specific attachment
7-9 months
First genuine attachments formed
Show preference for certain caregivers, usually the mother
Only protest separation from this/these specific caregiver(s)
Wariness of strangers
Formation of secure attachment is crucial at this stage
Secure base
A point of safety from which the infant feels free to venture away from
Have to keep checking back
Attachment phases - multiple attachments
9-18 months
Develop close attachments to people other than mothers e.g. fathers, siblings, grandparents, regular babysitters etc.
The Strange Situation
Infant is exposed to 8 different separation & reunion situations, reaction helps determine attachment
Attachment Q-set
Observations of a child’s attachment-related behaviours at home from the ages 1 to 5
- Scale from most to least
- 80 cards with descriptions of behaviour, caregiver ranks these cards
Secure attachment
65% of 1 year olds
The caregiver is seen as a secure base from which the child can explore the environment
Mild anxiety when separated, happiness upon reunion
Insecure avoidant
25% of 1 year olds
No distress at separation, little reaction upon reunion
More sociable with strangers
Insecure resitant
10% of 1 year olds
Very little exploration of environment with or without caregiver
Distress at separation, push caregiver away upon reunion