attachment Flashcards
what is reciprocity?
- caregiver and baby respond to each other’s signals and elicit a response from each other
- from around 3 months
- shows babies are active participants in interaction not just passive
what is interactional synchrony?
-caregiver and baby mimic the actions and emotions of each other
Meltzoff and Moore (1977) research on interactions sychrony
- observed beginning of interactional synchrony in babies
- adults displayed one of three facial expressions/gestures
- babies expression/gestures were usually mirrored from the adult
Isabella et al (1989) research into interactional synchrony
- observed 30 mothers and babies interactional synchrony
- found higher levels of synchrony were associated with better quality attachment
evaluation
caregiver infant interactions
strength: the use of filmed observations
- Caregiver/baby interactions are filmed from multiple angles
- Behaviour can be recorded and analysed later
- Babies don’t know they are being observed so demand characteristics and a problem
- increased reliability and validity
evaluation
caregiver infant interactions
limitation: difficulty in observing babies
- Hard to observe babies behaviour because they are not very coordinated
- rely on small gestures and changes in expression
- Hard to interpret the meaning of babies movements
- Cannot be certain that an interaction is meaningful
evaluation
caregiver infant interactions
Limitation: difficulty inferring developmental importance
- Feldman (2012)-synchrony and reciprocity describe behaviours that occur at the same time
- Cannot be certain from observation that reciprocity or synchrony important in development
Stage one of Schaffer’s stages of attachment
- Asocial
- 0 to 6 weeks
- Behaviour to inanimate objects and humans are similar
- Slight preference for familiar people
stage two of Schaffer’s stages of attachment
-  indiscriminate
- 6 weeks to 7 months
- General sociability
- Preference to humans
- No stranger/separation anxiety
stage four of Schaffer’s stages of attachment
- discriminate
- 7 to12 months
- Primary attachment forms (65% mother)
- separation and stranger anxiety
stage four of Schaffer’s stages of attachment
-Multiple attachments
-12 months+
-Secondary attachments form-Stranger and separation anxiety from secondary attachment

evaluation
Schaffer’s stages of attachment
Strength: external validity
- Most observations were made during ordinary activities (reported by parent)
- The alternative (observers present in the home) may make baby distracted/anxious
- High likelihood behaviour was natural
evaluation
Schaffer’s stages of attachment
limitation: biased observation
- Mothers were unlikely to be objective observers so biased on what they report
- May have missed behaviours
- The natural behaviour may not have been accurately reported
evaluation
Schaffer’s stages of attachment
limitation: lack of evidence for asocial stage
- Babies have poor coordination/our mobile
- Makes it difficult for others to accurately report signs of anxiety and attachment
- Due to flawed methods the baby may appear a social
evaluation
shaffers of stages of attachment strength: real world application
- In a social and indiscriminate stage as babies can be comforted by anyone
- If a child starts daycare later comfort from an unfamiliar adult may cause distress/long-term problems
- Schaffer’s stages of attachment can help parents make daycare decisions