Attachment Flashcards
Just for cap 2 Doesn't include bullet point 2, 5 or 6
Caregiver-infant interactions in humans
-Reciprocity
- Interactions between caregiver and infant involving mutual responsiveness
- Baby and caregiver reciprocal interaction
- Evidence: Tronick et al (1975) ‘Still face’ experiment
Caregiver-infant interactions in humans
-Interactional synchrony
- Interactions between caregiver and infant are ‘synchronised’ so that their responses reflect each other
- Evidence: Meltzoff and Moore (1997)
Schaffer’s stages of attachment (1964)
1. Pre-attachment
- Babies are attracted to humans and can pick them out in their vision
- Smiling becomes main way of communicating
- Birth to 3 months
Schaffer’s stages of attachment (1964)
2. Indiscriminate attachment stage
- Babies can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people in their lives, though they still allow themselves to be handled
- 3 to 7/8 months
Schaffer’s stages of attachment (1964)
3. Discriminate
- Specific attachments start to be made, mainly to the primary caregiver
- Infants become distressed when in the sole company of strangers
- 7 to 8 months onwards
Schaffer’s stages of attachment (1964)
4. Multiple attachments
- Other important caregivers become more important to the infant and they can be handled with more ease by strangers
- The primary attachment is still the strongest attachment
- 9 months onwards
Multiple attachments
- Schaffer’s and Emerson’s research found that infants form multiple attachments around 10-11 months and by the age of 18 months, only 13% had a single attachment
- This suggests that infants are capable of forming multiple attachments if the opportunity arises, however the attachments may not be equal
The role of the father
-In 2013, there were 5.3 million working mothers and stay at home fathers were on the increase, comprising of nearly 10%
-Key factors which affect relationship between father and child:
~Degree of sensitivity
~Type of attachment with own parents
~Marital intimacy
~Supportive co-parenting
Explanations of attachment
-Learning theory
- This proposes that attachments are formed when an infant receives food; they learn to ‘love’ the person who feeds them
- Behaviourism in the learning theory is split into 2 parts:
- > Classical conditioning= Learning through associated stimulus with a response
- > Operant conditioning= Involves learning through rewards/punishment
Explanations of attachment
-Bowlby’s monotropic theory
- Bowlby suggested that is important for infants to have 1 primary attachment figure whom they have a close bond with. This is because it allows for continuous care and keeps separations from primary caregiver to a minimum
- Bowlby also suggested that infants use social releasers, such as crying and laughing, to elicit caregiving
Explanations of attachment
-Critical period
- Bowlby proposed that an infant must form an attachment within the first 2 years of their life. Once this passes, an attachment can never be formed (or it will be very difficult)
- During this time, infants are particularly sensitive to forming attachments
- Bowlby was heavily influenced by Lorenz
- This is a ‘window of development’ when an infant is most easily and quickly able to form an attachment
Explanations of attachment
-Internal working model
- The concept that a child’s attachment to a caregiver, provides them with a ‘model’ of what relationships are like and how they work
- Therefore, if they form a loving, sensitive attachment then they will bring these qualities to other relationships they have in later life, with friends or romantic partners. This can act the opposite way if the quality of attachment is poor
Types of Attachment
-Secure attachment
- An infant obtains both comfort and confidence from the presence of his or her caregiver
- Typical percentage found in UK studies = 70%
Types of Attachment
-Insecure-avoidant attachments
- An infant avoids connection with the caregiver, as when the infant seems not to care about the caregiver’s presence, departure or return
- Typical percentage found in UK studies = 15%
Types of Attachment
-Insecure-resistant attachment
- An infants anxiety and uncertainty are evident, as when the infant becomes very upset at separation from the caregiver and both resists and seeks contact on reunion
- Typical percentage found in UK studies = 15%
Maccoby’s (1980) 4 key behaviours which show attachment
-Seeking proximity
The infant will try to stay close to the attachment figure (caregiver)
Maccoby’s (1980) 4 key behaviours which show attachment
-Separation anxiety
Both caregiver and infant will experience and demonstrate signs of distress when seperated
Maccoby’s (1980) 4 key behaviours which show attachment
-Pleasure when reunited
There will be obvious signs of pleasure from the child and caregiver upon being reunited
Maccoby’s (1980) 4 key behaviours which show attachment
-General orientation of behaviour towards primary attachment figure (PAF)
The infant and caregiver will direct attention to each other and try to engage each other in activities and interaction. For example they engage in mutual gazing
Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation
- The term ‘maternal deprivation’ refers to the loss of maternal care with no substitute caregiver
- Bowlby’s theory proposed that: ‘Mothers love in infancy is just as important for a child’s mental health, as vitamins and minerals are for physical health’
- Separation from the mother (maternal deprivation) would - he believed - result in severe damage to a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development
- Bowlby proposed that the effects of maternal deprivation were irreversible and could not be counteracted by later care
Long term effects of maternal deprivation
-Affectionless psychopathology
The inability to show affection or concern for others. Such individuals act on impulse with little regard for the consequences of their actions
Long term effects of maternal deprivation
-Developmental retardation
Defined as cognitive ability that is marked well below average level and a decreased ability to adapt to one’s environment
Long term effects of maternal deprivation
-Delinquency
Delinquency is behaviour violating social rules or conventions
Long term effects of maternal deprivation (5)
- Affectionless psychopathology
- Developmental retardation
- Delinquency
- Increased aggression
- Depression