Attachment Flashcards
What is attachment
An emotional tie or bond between two people, usually a primary caregiver and a child. The relationship is reciprocal, meaning that it is a two-way relationship that endures overtime
Reciprocity and interactional synchrony - overview (3)
- From a very early age babies and caregivers have intense and meaningful interactions
- The quality of these interactions is associated with the successful development of attachments
- Two kinds of interaction - reciprocity and interactional synchrony
What is reciprocity
A type of interaction between caregiver and child in which both individuals respond to each other’s actions with mutual responsiveness, and elicits responses from each other
what is interactional synchrony
When a caregiver and baby reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a coordinated way
what are the signs of attachment formation (3)
proximity, separation anxiety, secure-base behaviour
what is proximity
Staying physically close to the attachment figure
what is separation anxiety?
When people show signs of anxiety when an attachment figure leaves their presence
what is secure base behaviour
Making sure that regular contact with the caregiver is maintained e.g.
making regular return to the caregiver when playing
what is an attachment bond
An infant’s desire to keep close proximity to a particular individual and the expression of distress if the infant is separated from that person
why do babies have periodic ‘alert phases’
to signal that they are ready for a spell of interaction
What are Schaffer’s four stages of attachment and when do they happen
Asocial stage (birth to 2 months)
Indiscriminate attachment (2-7 months)
Specific attachment (7 months - 12 months)
Multiple attachments (1 year onwards)
Describe the Asocial stage (stage 1)
behaviour towards people and inanimate objects
familiar people
other people
Behaviour towards people and inanimate objects is quite similar
Some preferences for familiar people (more easily calmed by them)
Happier in the prescence of other people
Describe indiscriminate attachment (stage 2) (4)
people and inanimate objects
familiar people
stranger and separation anxiety
indiscriminate
• Babies now display more observable social behaviour, with a preference for people rather than inanimate objects
• They recognise and prefer familiar people
• Babies do not show stranger or separation anxiety
• Attachment is indiscriminate because it’s the same towards all
Describe specific attachment (stage 3)
Stranger and separation anxiety
Primary attachment figure
Stranger anxiety and separation anxiety when separated from one particular person
Baby is said to have formed a specific attachment with the primary attachment figure
what is the primary attachment figure (2)
• The person who has formed the closest bond with a child, demonstrated by the intensity of the relationship
• This is usually a child’s biological mother but other people can fulfil the role
Describe multiple attachments (stage 4)
Secondary attachments with other adults form shortly after babies start to show attachment behaviour towards one person
What is imprinting
Where offspring follow the first large-moving object they see
What do some species of animals form an attachment to and what does this suggest
The first large moving object that they meet
Attachment is innate and programmed genetically
What is sexual imprinting (3)
The process by which a young animal learns the characteristics of a desirable mate
Usually using a parent as the model
Occurs during a sensitive or critical period
What is the learning theory explanation of attachment (Dollard and Miller 1950)
Explains how infants learn to become attached to their primary caregiver through the process of either classical conditioning or operant conditioning
Why is the learning theory explanation of attachment sometimes referred to as the cupboard love theory
The main principles of this explanation for attachment focuses on food
What is classical conditioning
A process of learning by associating two stimuli together to condition a response
Describe how classical conditioning can be applied to human attachment (4)
1) UCS (food) causes UCR (pleasure)
2) NS (caregiver) causes no response
3) UCS (food) + NS (caregiver) = UCR (pleasure) - when caregiver provides food over time, become associated with food
4) CS (caregiver) elicits CR (pleasure) from child and the formation of an attachment
What is operant conditioning (2)
A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, it is likely to be repeated
What does operant conditioning explain
Why babies cry for comfort
Describe the role of operant conditioning in attachment (positive reinforcement)
Crying leads
As long
Crying leads to a response from the caregiver e.g. feeding
As long as the caregiver provides the correct response, crying is reinforced because it produces a pleasurable consequence
How does the caregiver receive negative reinforcement
At the same time as the baby is reinforced for crying, the caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops
Operant conditioning - what strengthens the attachment
The interplay of positive and negative reinforcement
Describe the drive reduction theory (4)
When a baby is
Hunger
As caregiver
Attachment
• When a baby is uncomfortable this creates a drive to reduce this discomfort e.g. hunger
• Hunger is a primary drive - an innate biological motivator. We are motivated to eat to reduce the hunger drive
• As caregiver provides food to relieve hunger, feeling is generalised to them
• Attachment is a secondary drive learned by an association between caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive
What are primary drives
Innate drives such as for food, water and sex
What are secondary drives
Learned drives acquired through association with a primary drive
What type of explanation for attachment does Bowlby’s Monotropic theory give and what does it suggest
Evolutionary
Attachment is an innate system that gives a survival advantage
Bowlby’s Monotropic theory - why did attachment evolve
It ensures babies stay close to their caregivers and this protects them from potential danger
Why is Bowlby’s theory described as monotropic?
Because of the emphasis on the child’s attachment to one caregiver, usually the mother (this attachment is different from the others and more important)
Bowlby’s Monotropic theory - What are social releasers
A set of innate ‘cute’ behaviours e.g. smiling and crying and ‘cute’ physical characteristics e.g. large eyes and a large forehead, that encourage attention from adults
What is the purpose of social releasers
Activate adult social interaction and so make an adult attach to the baby
Bowlby - Describe the critical period
There is a critical period for developing an attachment, from about 6 months old to 2 years old. If an attachment has not developed during this time period then then it may not happen at all
Bowlby - explain what the internal working model is (2)
• A child forms an internal working model of the relationship with their primary attachment figure
• It serves as a ‘template’ for what relationships are like and it also influences later relationships
Bowlby’s monotropic theory - what does the continuity hypothesis suggest
Infants who have a secure relationship with their caregiver will grow up being more emotionally and socially competent than infants with insecure attachments
What is secure attachment (type B) (3)
Explore
Separation and stranger anxiety
Reunion
• Baby happy to explore but seeks proximity to caregiver
• Shows moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• Requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion
What is insecure-avoidant attachment (type A) (3)
Explore
Separation and Stranger anxiety
Reunion
Baby explores freely but does not seek proximity or show secure-base behaviour
Shows little/no separation and stranger anxiety
Avoids contact at the reunion stage
What is insecure-resistant attachment (3)
Explore
Stranger and separation anxiety
Comfort
Baby explores less and seeks greater proximity
Shows considerable stranger and separation anxiety
Resists comfort when reunited with caregiver
What is a collectivist culture
A culture that places more value on the ‘collective’ rather than on the individual, and on interdependence rather than on independence
What is an individualistic culture
A culture that values the rights and interests of the individual. This results in a concern for independence and self assertiveness
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - continuous emotional care from a mother or mother-substitute is necessary for what (2)
Normal emotional and intellectual development
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - describe separation (2), deprivation (2) and privation
• Separation occurs when a child is not physically in the prescence of the primary attachment figure
• Separation becomes a problem if the child becomes deprived of emotional care e.g. mother is depressed
• Deprivation occurs when an attachment bond is formed between an infant and caregiver but is broken later in life
• Deprivation can be avoided if alternative emotional care is offered
• Privation occurs when there is a failure to form an attachment to any individual
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - what did he see the first 2.5 years of life as?
A critical period for psychological development
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - what is inevitable if a child is separated from their mother without substitute emotional care for an extended time during the first 2.5 years
Psychological damage. There is a continuing risk up to the age of five
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - what are two ways maternal deprivation affects children’s development
Intellectual development and emotional development
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - describe the effect of maternal deprivation on intellectual development
If a child is deprived of maternal care for too long during the critical period then they would experience delayed intellectual development, characterised by abnormally low IQ
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - how does being deprived of any mother’s emotional care affect children in their emotional development
Affectionless psychopathy - the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others
This prevents the person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality
Influence of early attachment on later relationships - why is the quality of a baby’s first attachment crucial
It provides a template that will affect the nature of their future relationships. This is due to the influence of the internal working model created by that first attachment
Influence of early attachment on later relationships - why does good attachment = good relationship expectations (2)
A child
They will
A child whose first experience of attachment is of a loving relationship with a reliable attachment figure assumes this is how all relationships are meant to be
They will then seek out functional relationships and behave functionally within them
Influence of early attachment on later relationships - why does bad attachment = bad expectations (2)
A child with bad experiences of their first attachment will bring these experiences to bear on later relationships
May struggle to form relationships in the first place or may behave inappropriately in them
Influence of early attachment on later relationships - attachment type is associated with what in childhood?
The quality of peer relationships
Influence of early attachment on later relationships - the internal working model affects which two major adult experiences
Romantic relationships
Parental relationships with their own children
What do orphan studies study
The effects of deprivation on emotional and intellectual development
