attachment

Question 1

what is attachment

Answer 1

emotional two way bond between infant and caregiver where each see each other as essential for survival

Question 2

bowlby’s definition of attachment

Answer 2

strong emotional connection with people important to us

Question 3

what is the nature of parent infant attachments

Answer 3

they are reciprocal and build gradually over time
-early infancy: daily synchronised routines like feeding, bathing etc help to form attachments (Stern 1977)

Question 4

what are bowlbys attachment phases

Answer 4

phase 1:non focused orienting (asocial, from birth), preference for humans but still asocial and tend to be for first 6 weeks

phase 2: focus on one or more figures (2-7 months), imitation etc

phase 3: secure base behaviour (7+ months), selective over who looks after them, unsure of strangers, separation anxiety, social referencing = looking to those they know

phase 4: goal corrected partnership (2+ yrs), understanding of attachment and caregiver’s needs to be separated e.g for work

Question 5

what are the theories of attachment

Answer 5

early behaviourism
early psychoanalysis
cognitive
innate/biological influence

Question 6

early behaviourism

Answer 6

conditioned reinforcer hypothesis
-feeding (intrinsic reinforcement) + mum (neutral) = mum becoming reinforcer

Question 7

early psychoanalysis

Answer 7

freud’s psychosexual development
-infant in oral stage, mum’s generous feeding = more love, develops attachment

Question 8

cognitive theory

Answer 8

piaget stage theory
-infants current stage of cog development determines response to the environment
-separation anxiety dependent on attainment of object permanence (usually develops 8 months ish)
-fear of strangers: depends on development of person schemas, strangers who fail to conform to these schemas based on familiarity are disturbing to the baby

Question 9

innate/ biological influence on attachment

Answer 9

Lorenz imprinting
-sensitive period
-humans also have innate drive to attach
-babies are cute and elicit behaviours meaning adults have innate drive to care for them (social releasers)

Question 10

Harlow’s study

Answer 10

-infant monkeys separated from mother
-wire and cloth mothers, food available from one mother
-feeding not as important as contact comfort/tactile stimulation

Question 11

how is attachment tested

Answer 11

ainsworth strange situation

Question 12

what behaviours are tested in the strange situation

Answer 12

freedom to explore, separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, reunion behaviour

Question 13

what aged infants took part in strange situation

Answer 13

1-2 yrs

Question 14

what are the 8 stages of the strange situation

Answer 14

1. child and mother play together
2. stranger enters and tries to play w. infant
3. mother leaves
4. stranger tries to comfort
5. mother returns and stranger leaves
6. mother leaves, child alone
7. stranger enters and offers comfort
8. mother enters

Question 15

what are the coding categories in the strange situation

Answer 15

proximity seeking, contact, resistance, avoidance

Question 16

how does caregiver act as a secure base

Answer 16

familiar surroundings = less fear + more exploration

Question 17

what are the infant attachment styles

Answer 17

-secure: freedom to explore, ok w strangers if mum present, easily comforted by caregiver

-avoidant: ignore caregiver, less distress at separation, ok w strangers

-resistant: close to caregiver, upset when caregiver leaves, seeks proximity after separation but angry and resistant at reunion

-disorganised Main and Soloman 1999: combination of insecure patterns, not sure whether to approach or ignore caregiver so may do both

Question 18

what are the caregiver attachment styles

Answer 18

secure: responsive and sensitive, consistent responses
avoidant: too much or too little stimulation, not sensitive to cues
resistant: inconsistent and insensitive responses
disorganised: frightened, depressed, mourning or abusive, usually parent has something else going on

Question 19

cultural differences in attachment

Answer 19

-in USA + UK 60% have secure attachments
-germany have more avoidant attachments
-japan: more resistant
- due to parenting practices across cultures e.g in japan infants are rarely separated from mother

Question 20

what may affect attachment

Answer 20

difficult temperaments of the infant may cause parent to be inconsistent and insensitive

Question 21

internal working model

Answer 21

Bowlby 1980
- gradually formed from early on, depends on caregiver responses to babies emotional displays
- sensitive to cues + consistent responses: secure infant
- insensitive and inconsistent responses: insecure infant

Question 22

what is the maternal deprivation model

Answer 22

Bowlby 1951
-special relationships to mother
-serious adverse effects if mother is absent due to death, divorce, orphaned etc
-however, there are fewer adverse effects than predicted if an alternative support is present
-later experiences also have an impact and children show resilience