Attachment - 1 P1

Question 1

what is meant by an attachment?

Answer 1

a close bond between two individuals - each individual sees the other essential for their own emotional well-being.

Question 2

what 3 behaviours show when an attachment has developed?

Answer 2

• promixty-seeking (staying close to individual)
• seperation distress (anxiety when parted)
• secure-base behaviour (make regular contact when in uncertain situations)

Question 3

what are the 2 caregiver-infant interactions in humans?

Answer 3

• reciprocity

- interactional synchrony

Question 4

what is meant by reciprocity?

Answer 4

turn-taking behaviour during a conversation - behaviour of one results in response of other

Question 5

what is meant by interactional synchrony?

Answer 5

co-ordinated behaviour - infant and caregiver often in tune with each other - behaviours are often mirrored

Question 6

who did research into interactional synchrony?

Answer 6

Meltzoff and Moore - adult model displayed 3 facial expressions while infant had a dummy in his mouth

Question 7

what were the findings of Meltzoff and Moores research into interactional synchrony?

Answer 7

association between infants facial expressions and adults so he concluded this ruled out the imitation of behaviours being learnt over time so he suggested the response interactional synchrony is innate.

Question 8

what is a strength of research into caregiver-infant interactions?

Answer 8

meltzoff and Moore used controlled observations - no demand characteristics from infants as they don’t know they are in an experiment - findings more accurate and trustworthy

Question 9

what is the first criticism of research into caregiver-infant interactions?

Answer 9

methodological issues- infants facial expressions change all of time so its difficult to distinguish from general behaviour and imitated behaviour

Question 10

what is the second criticism of research into caregiver-infant interactions?

Answer 10

socially sensitive - suggests infants social development is disadvantaged if they lack opportunities into interactional synchrony - suggests mother should come home from work earlier to send more time with infant

Question 11

who conducted a study into the stages of attachments?

Answer 11

Schaffer and Emerson

Question 12

what did Schaffer and Emerson do in their procedures?

Answer 12

• 60 infants from working class families were studied over a year
• mothers visited monthly and asked to report infants separation in seven everyday situations
• also reported protest from infant on occasions by rating it on a scale

Question 13

what were the findings of Schaffer and Emerson’s findings into research of the stages of attachment?

Answer 13

proposed there were 4 stages if attachment: Asocial, Indiscriminate attachments, specific attachments, multiple attachments

Question 14

what were the conclusions of Schaffer and Emersons research?

Answer 14

the quality of relationship and interactions are the most important thing not the quantity

Question 15

what is meant by stage 1 - asocial?

Answer 15

from birth to 2 months infants respond same way to objects - towards the end they are more content when they’re with people

Question 16

what is meant by stage 2 - indiscriminate attachments?

Answer 16

at 4 months infants become more social, recognise familiar people, happy with strangers

Question 17

what is meant by stage 3 - specific attachment?

Answer 17

7 months PRIMARY attachment has developed and infants have separation anxiety when left by particular person

Question 18

what is meant by stage 4 - multiple attachment?

Answer 18

infant develops more than one attachment e.g. with grandparent, siblings, friends - these are secondary attachments

Question 19

what is a strength of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 19

observations done by parents therefore there is excellent chance infants behaviour is natural

Question 20

what is the first criticism of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 20

-methodological issues - observations from mothers may 
have been over/under emphasised - data not accurate 
-not generalisable - only representative in working class families - whats it like in middle-class families?

Question 21

what is the second criticism of Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

Answer 21

-cultural biast - only applies to individualist cultures - stages of attachment are not universal e.g. collectivist cultures multiple attachments are more common than primary - care is shared

Question 22

who suggested one primary attachment is vital?

Answer 22

Bowlby

Question 23

what is wrong with bowlbys theory that one primary attachment is vital?

Answer 23

lack temporal validity - working in 1950s where people believed father should support mother finally so she can devote herself to baby

Question 24

who agrees that a single attachment is not essential?

Answer 24

Schaffer by 18 months in his research 31% had 5 attachments

Question 25

why is it good for infants to develop multiple attachments to grandparents?

Answer 25

for children having a mother suffer with depression - less likely to interact with children and children more likely to show depression in adult hood - less likely if form attachment with grandparent

Question 26

what are the 2 arguments we make that the role the father plays?

Answer 26

1. fathers play a less important role than others

2. fathers are as important than mothers, they just have a different role

Question 27

explain how fathers play a less important role than others.

Answer 27

biological factors - female hormone oestrogen helps caregiving behaviour - men produce much less to women so they are less sensitive & social factors cultural expectations of males are NOT to be feminine or nurturing.

Question 28

what supporting evidence is there to support the idea that fathers play a less important role to mothers?

Answer 28

Hrdy: found fathers were less able to detect infants distress - shows they are less able to create sensitive attachment

Question 29

what evidence is there to challenge the idea that fathers play a less important role to mothers?

Answer 29

field - showed us through videoing face to face interactions it is the level of responsiveness not the gender of parent that influences the quality of attachment

Question 30

explain how fathers role is just as important as mothers but just different.

Answer 30

more physically active and provide more challenging situations, encouraging problem solving and stimulation - important for children cognitive processes, set clearer boundaries than mothers

Question 31

what supporting evidence is there to support the idea that fathers play a different role to mothers?

Answer 31

Geiger - found fathers play interactions were more exciting rather than mothers - more nurturing

Question 32

what evidence is there to challenge the idea that fathers play a different role to mothers?

Answer 32

difficult to make generalisations about fathers role - some factors that depend on relationship - cultural and socio-economic