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psychology yr12 > Attachment > Flashcards

Attachment Flashcards

1
Q

Define attachment

A

A close two way emotional bond between individuals in which each sees the other as essential for emotional security

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2
Q

How are attachments formed

A

Interactions

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3
Q

What does having a high quality of interactions lead to for an infant

A

High social + intellectual development

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4
Q

What are the 3 features of attachment

A

Proximity
Seperation distress (especially prevalent in infants)
Secure base behaviour (security that the attachment is reciprocal)

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5
Q

What are the two features of caregiver - infant interactions

A

Reciprocity
Interactional synchrony

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6
Q

What is reciprocity

A

When each individual responds to, and gets responses from, the other - giving + getting the same back

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7
Q

Give an example of reciprocity

A

A mother smiles and her baby smiles back

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8
Q

Babies play an _____ role in reciprocity

A

Active role - not just passive

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9
Q

Babies have ______ phases where they signal they are ready for attention

A

Alert phases

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10
Q

On average how often do mums pick up on baby’s alert phases

A

Around 2/3rds of the time

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11
Q

What has reciprocity often been described as

A

A dance - each responds to the other

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12
Q

What is interactional synchrony

A

The actions and emotions of the caregiver and infant are mirrored - what is done to the baby the baby does back

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13
Q

Give an example of interactional synchrony

A

A baby moves her head in time with her mother

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14
Q

Give two examples of studies into interactional synchrony

A

Meltzoff and Moore
Isabella et al

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15
Q

Describe the study of Meltzoff & Moore

A

Adult displayed 113 expressions or gestures to babies
(independent observer noted babies’ response)
found significant association with the babies’ response

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16
Q

Describe the study of Isabella et al

A

30 mums + babies - higher synchrony = better quality attachment - discovered there’s usually one primary caregiver attachment - later on in life babies can develop more

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17
Q

Give a strength of research into caregiver - infant interaction

A

High control
To observe these processes researchers tend to use controlled observation- high in validity because captures fine detail since process is filmed - children don’t have demand characteristics

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18
Q

Give three limitations of research into caregiver - infant interaction

A

Limited insight
Contradictory research
Socially sensitive

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19
Q

Expand on the limitation limited insight for research into caregiver - infant interactions

A

Not particularly useful despite observation as it does not tell us their purpose - make inferences doesn’t definitively state - infants perspective is unknown - can’t tell if actions are conscious + deliberate or not

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20
Q

Expand on the limitation contradictory research for research into caregiver - infant interactions

A

Other studies have failed to replicate the findings of Meltzoff and Moore e.g. Koepke et al (1996) but m&m have criticised Koepke’s research by saying it was less controlled

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21
Q

Expand on the limitation socially sensitive for research into caregiver - infant interactions

A

Puts pressure on mothers to stay home for an extended period of time- especially first critical 3-6 months - believe they may miss out on key reciprocity and affect development

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22
Q

what is meant by reciprocity in the context of caregiver - infant interaction

A

A two way mutual process - each party responds to the others signals to sustain interaction - the behaviour of each party elicits a response from the other

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23
Q

Who looked into stages of attachment

A

Schaffer and Emerson

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24
Q

Who did Schaffer and Emerson observe and for how long

A

60 w/c Glaswegian babies
At home every month for 1st year - then again at 18mnths

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25
Schaffer and Emerson asked the mums about _______ and ________ anxiety to measure attachment
Stranger & seperation
26
What 5 stages of attachment did Schaffer and Emerson find (in order)
Asocial stage Indiscriminate stage Specific attachment Multiple attachments
27
When is the asocial stage
0 - 6 weeks
28
What is the asocial stage
First few weeks - humans & objects are treated the same - with some preference for people (especially familiar people)
29
When is the indiscriminate stage
6weeks to 7mnths
30
What is the indiscriminate stage
More social + clear preference for people over objects - no stranger/seperation anxiety - accept comfort from all
31
When is the specific attachment stage
7 - 9 months
32
What is the specific attachment stage
Signs of attachment to one primary attachment figure (65% were mum) stranger & seperation anxiety
33
When is the multiple attachments stage
10mnths & upwards
34
What is the multiple attachment stage
Shortly after specific - attachment starts extending to others (develop secondary attachments) - by 1yr most had multiple attachments
35
What is a strength of Schaffer and Emersons study into attachment
Good external validity Carried out in families’ own homes - most of observation done by parents - not artificial setting - babies unaffected by demand characteristics
36
What are two limitations of Schaffer and Emerson’s study
Problems with asocial stage Methodological problems
37
Develop on the limitation ‘problems with the asocial stage’ for Schaffer & Emerson’s study
Important interactions do take place - babies that young are immobile + its hard to make judgements but doesn’t mean the behaviours aren’t social the evidence is just hard to interpret
38
Develop on the limitation ‘methodological’ for Schaffer & Emerson’s study
Problems measuring multiple attachments - a baby getting distressed when someone leaves doesn’t necessarily mean they are an attachment figure - Bowlby states they are a playmate rather than AF
39
When looking into the role of the father in regards to attachment what did Schaffer and Emerson find
Dads primary attachment - 3% 75% attached to dad as the secondary figure by 18mnths
40
What did Grossman et al find about the role of the father in their longitudinal study
The quality of the mums attachment crafts adolescent attachment The quality of the dads attachment crafts adolescent attachment
41
What did Field discover about the role of the father in attachment
When primary, Dads are just as responsive as primary mum’s - gender of parent is not important rather responsiveness
42
Who did Field observe
Babies with primary mum, secondary dad and primary dad
43
What are two strengths of research into the role of father in attachment
Practical implications Biological explanations support research
44
Expand on the strength ‘practical implications’ for research into the role of the father in regards to attachment
Research like Fields shows that fathers can be primary caregivers - important practical applications for maternity/paternity leave suggesting it could be split and would have no impact on the child
45
Expand on the strength ‘biological explanations support research’ for research into the role of the father in regards to attachment
Maybe an evolutionary adaptation for women to be primary caregivers and men secondary attachment figures - female hormones (oestrogen) create higher levels of nurturing - more biologically suitable to be PA figure
46
What is a limitation of research into the role of the father in attachment
Contradictory findings MacCallum et al disagree with Grossman - found children growing up in fatherless households develop the same as those who do - fathers not important
47
Describe the procedure for Lorenz’s geese study
Split 12 geese into 2 groups , observed who they were attached to in the first 6 hours G1 - saw Lorenz first G2 - saw their mother first - the control group
48
What was Lorenz’s findings in his study
The 6 that saw Lorenz first attached to him The 6 that saw the mum first attached to her
49
Define imprinting
When they (geese etc) attach to the first moving object they see
50
The time after hatching when birds must attach is known as …. (Lorenz)
Critical period
51
What is sexual imprinting in birds
Initial attachment in birds forms the basis of their later mate preferences
52
What type of monkeys did Harlow work with
Rhesus monkeys
53
Why did Harlow study rhesus monkeys instead of geese like Lorenz
RM’s more similar to humans than geese
54
Describe the procedure for Harlow’s monkeys
Raised 16 baby monkeys with two wire ‘mothers’ - one cloth covered and one plain - wire which dispensed milk to see if the monkeys would seek comfort over food
55
What were Harlow’s findings
Discovered the monkeys spent more time & sought more contact comfort with the cloth ‘mother - especially when scared - followed monkeys into adulthood and found long term consequences
56
What were the long term consequences for the money’s in Harlow’s study
Anti social aggressive behaviour Majority didn’t mate couldn’t display courtship behaviours Hostility towards offspring
57
How long were the monkeys critical period (Harlow)
90 days
58
What are two strengths of animal studies of attachment
Influential Lorenz Influenced theories e.g. Bowlby’s monotropic theory Harlow practical application Application to range of contexts e.g. social workers better understand risk factors for deprivation - neglect & abuse Impacted breeding programmes for monkeys in captivity
59
What are two limitations of animal studies into attachment
Lorenz - generalisability to humans Mammalian attachment system differs to birds - Mammalian mothers more emotional & babies may be able to form attachments at any time Lorenz contradictory evidence
60
What contradictory evidence is there for Lorenz’s study
Guitan et al (1966) chickens that imprinted on yellow washing up gloves would try to mate with them as adults - but learned to prefer mating with other chickens - imprinting is reversible
61
What did Guitan et al investigate
The accuracy of the permanent effect attachment has on mating behaviour even in birds
62
Who proposed the learning theory
Dollard & Miller - from behavioural approach
63
What did the learning theory propose
Attachment was a learned behaviour based on food coined ‘cupboard love’ - attachment = secondary drive hunger = primary
64
How does classical conditioning factor into the learning theory
Food = UCS producing UCR of pleasure mum is a NS produces NR when we pair food with mum baby learns to associate mum with pleasure making , mum becomes CS and pleasure a CR - attachment then formed
65
Why is pleasure initially a UCR (learning theory)
It’s an automatic innate human response
66
How does operant conditioning factor into the learning theory
Explains how attachment formed by food between baby & mum is maintained
67
Who is positively reinforced (learning theory)
Baby is positively reinforced given comfort & interaction when crying
68
Who is negatively reinforced (learning theory)
Parent is negatively reinforced crying is removed by interacting
69
Mutual __________ leads to maintenance of attachment (learning theory)
Reinforcement
70
What is a strength of the learning theory
Some evidence supports conditioning Many aspects of human development is affected by conditioning - the provision of comforts + association between PC & social interaction is what builds attachment
71
What are two limitations of the learning theory
Alternative explanations Contradictory research
72
What is an example of contradictory research of the learning research
Harlow’s monkeys suggested food not most important factor in attachment but comfort is - challenges validity
73
Give an example of an alternative explanation to the learning theory
Ignores evolutionary factors - Bowlby’s monotropic explanation is much more comprehensive & has more research support - attachment behaviours are innate
74
Bowlby takes inspiration from _____ & ______ to propose and _________ explanation of attachment
Lorenz & Harlow Evolutionary
75
What are the five factors of Bowlby’s monotropic theory
Adaptive Social releasers Critical period Montropy Internal working model
76
What is the adaptive feature (Bowlby)
Attachment is an innate system that has adaptive functions i.e. it ensures our survival
77
What is the social releasers feature (Bowlby)
Babies have innate ‘cute’ behaviours that encourage adults to respond to them & attach to them - encourages reciprocity
78
Give an example of a social releaser
Cooing , smiling , gripping
79
Which theory does Bowlby’s monotropic theory reject
The learning theory
80
What is the critical period feature (Bowlby)
Attachment development begins in the first few weeks and is most sensitive and critical from 6mnths - 2 years
81
What is the montropy feature (Bowlby)
The primary attachment figure is different & more important than others
82
The monotropy feature of Bowlby’s montropic theory includes the law of _______ & ________ _______
The law of continuity The law of accumulated seperation
83
What is the law of continuity
The more consistent the care the better
84
What is the law of accumulated seperation
The impact of every seperation adds up
85
What does the IWM feature of Bowlby’s monotropic theory state
The PA figure forms our template of what attachments should look like Healthy childhood attachment = healthy later attachment
86
What is the influence of early attachment on friendships & bullying?
- children that have secure attachments go on to have healthy long lasting relationships and vice versa - children that have insecure attachments go on to have unhealthy relationships & have difficult
87
What were Myron Wilson & Smith’s findings when looking into the influence of early attachment on bullying?
- 196 children from London 7-11yrs are given questionnaires on behaviours on bullying They found… * secure (type B) children were uninvolved in bullying * type A were more likely to be bullied * type C were more likely to be the bullies
88
Who looked into the effect of early attachment on adult relationships?
Hazan & Shaver
89
What was the procedure for Hazan & Shaver’s study?
- volunteer sample - created a love quiz in a local newspaper - analysed 620 replies - assessed childhood attachment types and current/past adult romantic relationships
90
What were the findings of Hazan & Shaver’s love quiz?
Secure - longest healthiest relationships Avoidant - fear of intimacy Resistant - fear of abandonment
91
Who looked into the influence of early attachment on later mother baby relationships
Bailey et al
92
What was the procedure for Bailey et al’s study?
- measured mother & baby attachments in their home / mother & grandmother relationships using interviews - the mother & baby attachments were measured using the strange situation
93
What were the findings of Bailey et al’s study?
- most women had same classification of attachment to their baby as they did to their mother
94
What is a strength of the theory that attachment style influences later relationships ?
Research support - suggests their is a link between attachment style & later relationships (Hazan & Shaver’s love quiz etc)
95
What are 3 limitations of the theory that attachment style influences later relationships?
Retrospect + validity - psychologists ask adults about their attachments in childhood may be dishonest & inaccurate / affects validity Confounding variables - not causational all research is correlational / things that influence our later relationships may have nothing to do with our childhood e.g. bad first romantic relationship / affects validity and generalisability Deterministic - just because there is a link doesn’t mean the outcome is inevitable / socially sensitive

psychology yr12 (8 decks)

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