attachment Flashcards
what is attachment
a close emotional bond between two people, charachterised by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity
its a two way process which endures over time
what is proximity seeking
desire to be physically close to the carer (anxiety when cant be)
what is seperation protest
distress at seperation from carer
what is pleasure at reunion
quickly settled upon being reuinted with carer
what is secure base effect
willingness to explore environment when carer is near. Infant will usually check regularly that carer is still in sight and will demonstrate social referencing (reading facial expressions of carer to see if its safe to continue)
what is stranger anxiety
distress at stranger interaction (altho strangers can have a novelty factor and in a safe environment infants may approach a stranger)
what is general orientation of behaviour towards carer
carer will be the focus
eg pointing things out to the carer, more than other people
what are the two caregiver-infant interactions
reciprocity
interactional synchrony
reciprocity definition
responding to the action of another with a similar action, where the actions of one elicit a response from the other partner
the reponses are not necessarily similar as in interactional synchrony
interactional synchrony definition
when two people interact they tend to mirror what the other is doing in terms of thei faciasl and body movements
this uncludes imitating emotions as well as behaviours
this is described as a synchrony when two (or more) things move in the same pattern
key points of reciprocity
coordination
eliciting responses
important for later communication-carer learns about needs of infant
foundation for later attachments
key points of interactional synchrony
imitation
meltzoff and moore
innate (not learned)
who carried out a controlled laboratory observation to investigate infant-carer interactions
Meltzoff and Moore
1977
what were the three facial expressions presented by the model in meltzoff and moores experiment
tongue protrusion
mouth opening
lip protrusion
later hand opening
in meltzoff and moores experiment why was a dummy initially placed in the childs mouth
to prevent any imitation
how ere the babies expressions monitored when shown the stimulus for the second time in meltzoff and moores experiment
video tapes made
independent observers who hadnt seen the models judged the infants behvaiours
in meltzoff and moores experiment what categories did the independent observers judge the infants behaviour on
mouth opening
termination of mouth opening
tongue protrusion
termination of tongue protrusion
what were the findings of meltzoff and moores experiment
infants of 2-3 weeks old imitated the facial and hand expressions of models
shows evidence for interactional synchrony
what was the aim of schaffer and emersons glasgow babies study
to investigate the developments of infant attachments
how many babies were studied in the glasgow babies study
60
where were the babies in the glasgow babies study from
working class glasgow
how old were infants at the start of the glasgow babies study and what age were they studied until
5-23 weeks old
studied until a year
in the glasgow babies study how often were the mothers visited
every 4 weeks
in the glasgow babies study what were the mothers asked to do at every visit
report their infants response to seperation in 7 every day situations
describe intensity of any protest and rate it on a four point scale
say who p;rotest was directed at
in the glasgow babies study how was stranger anxiety measured
assesing the infants response to the interviewer at each visit
what were the conclusions of the glasgow babies study
between 23-32 weeks old 50% of babies showed seperation anxiety towards an adult -usually thye mother
by 40 weeks 80% of babies had a specific attachment
30% displayed multiple attachments
in the glasgow babies study who was attachment of the babies too
to caregiver who was most interactive and sensitive to the infants signals and facial expressions (reciprocity) not necessarily who they spent the most time with
what stage theory did the glasgow babies study lead to
Schaffer and Emersons
‘Stages of Attachment theory’
what were the conclusions of the glasgow babies study
attachment develops in stages
different behaviours are exhibited at different stages
what are the 4 stages in the developmnent of attachment according to schaffer and emmersons stage theory
indiscriminate attachment (social)
beginnings of attachment
discriminate attachment
multiple attachments
what age experiences indiscriminate attachment (social)
birth-2 months
what age experiences beginnings of attachment
2-4 months
what age experiences discriminate attachment
4-7 months
what age experiences multiple attachments
7-9 months onwards
what happens in the stage of indiscriminate attachments
similar response to all objects
greater preference towards people at the end of 2 months
reciprocity and interactional synchrony play a role in developing attachments
what happens in the stage of the begginings of attachment
seek attention from a number of people
generally content when they recieve it
may not show stranger anxiety
what happens in the stage of discriminate attachment
typically develop a strong attachment to one person
showing seperation protest and stranger anxiety
what happens in the stage of multiple attachments
stronger emotional ties with other carers develop
as well as with non-carers such as siblings= secondary attachments
what are some limitations of scaffer and emersons stage theory
mothers may be more sensitive to infants protests
study may involve a biased sample
stage theory is based in the uk an individualist culture
stage theories dont accoount for individual differences
what is a trength of schaffer and emersons stage theory
findings support bowlby
what is social desirability bias
the tendancy to under report socially undesirable attitudes and behaviours and to only report more desirable attributes
why is internal validity a limitation of schaffer and emmersons stage theory
mothers may have been more sensitive to infants protests and reported them more than those less sensitive
why may schaffer and emersons stage theory involve a biased sample
sample from a working class community in the 1960s
at the time fewer women wet out to work
fathers were rarely main caregivers
nowadays more women work and more men stay at home
suggets findings now would be different
how do schaffer and emersons stage theory support bowlby
supports bowlbys suggestion that an infant has a main attachment figure (monotropy theory) which is most important and influential
how is schaffer and emersons stage theory research being based in the uk an issue
uk is an individualist culture
collectivist cultures are where children are cared for in communities eg kibbutz israel - found childremn are less likely to have a close attachment to parent
so stage theory lacks cross cultural validity
why can schaffer and emmersons stage theory be seen as inflexible
may seem abnormal if infants dont follow the pattern of forming a single attachment first, followed by multiple attachments
so innapropriate judgements might be made
according to the office for national statistics in 2013 how many british mothers were in employment
5.3 million
in 2013 what % of males cared for children
10%
what % of british single parents are male (186,000)
9%
what did bowlby believe in relation to the role of the father
children have one primary attachment figure, usually the mother
how have many researchers seen the role of the father
less as a caregiver more as a playmate as fathers play is often more physical, unpredictable and exciting than mothers
how are mothers seen differently to fathers in the role of the father
mothers more able to show sensitive responsiveness due to percieved nurturing nature, but fathers can also develop this ability
what are the 4 important factors affecting the relationship between fathers and children
degree of sensitivity
type of attachment with own parents
marital intimacy
supportive co-parenting
what is degree of sensitivity
more secure attachments to their children are found in fathers who show more sensitivity to childrens needs
how does the type of attachement with own parent affect the relationship between fathers and children
single parent fathers tend to form similar attachments with their children that they had with their own parents
what is marital intimacy
the degree of intimacy a father has within his relationship with his partner affects the type of attachment he will have with his children
what is supportive co-parenting
the amount of support a father gives to his partner in helping to care for his children affects the type of attachment he will have with his children
in the role of the father who investigated type of attachment with own parents
Bernier and Miljkovitch
2009
who investigated marital intimacy
Belsky et al
2009
who investigated supportive co-parenting
Brown et al
2010
who investigated the role of the father
Geiger 1996
Lamb 1987
Hardy 1999
Lucassen et al 2011
Bernier and Miljkovitch 2009
Belsky et al 2009
Brown et al 2010
what did Geiger find in relation to the role of the father
fathers play interactions are more exciting and pleasurable than mothers
mothers more nurturing and affectionate
supports idea of fathers as playmates
how did Lambs research on the role of the father in 1987 support Geigers
lamb showed children prefer interacting with fathers when in a positive emotional state- seeking stimulation
mothers preffered when distressed- seeking comfort
supports idea of fathers being seen as playmates, but only in certain conditions
what did Hardy 1999 find in relation to the role of the father
fathers less able to detect low levels of infant distress than mothers are
suggests they are less suitable as prime attachment figures
what research did lamb find relating to Hardie’s in the role of the father
fathers who become main care providers quickly develop more sensitivity to childrens needs + become a safe base to explore
suggetss sensitive responsiveness isnt a biological ability limited to women
how did lucassen gather his research about the role of the father
performed a meta-analysis of studies involving observations and strange situation technique
what did lucassen 2011 find to do with the role of the father
higher levels of sensitivity were associated with greater levels of infant-father attachment security
supports idea that more secure attachments are found in kids whose fathers are more sensitive to their childrens needs
what did Bernier and Miljkovitch find in relation to the role of the father
single-parent fathers attachment with children aged 4-6 years was similar to attachments the fathers had with their own parengts
no effect was found with married fathers
suggests continuity of attachment occurs more in fathers who are the main caregivers
what did Belsky et al 2009 research in relation to the role of the father
high levels of marital intimacy was related to secure father-infant attachments
low levels were related to insecure father-vhild attachments
supports idea that closeness of relationship between fathers and partners affects the type of attachment a father has with children
how did Brown et al 2010 gather his research for the role of the father
assessed attachment patterns in 68 families
with infants aged 12-13 months old
what did Brown et al 2010 research about the role of the father
high levels of supportive co-parenting were related to secure attachment types between infants and fathers, but not infants and mothers
suggests that supportive co-parenting is more important for fathers in developing posotive attachments with their children
what was an evaluation point of research of the role of the father in terms of absent fathers
children with absent fathers seen to do less well at school, have higher levels of risk taking and aggression, especially in boys
suggests fathers prevent negative developmental outcomes
what did Pederson 1979 point about the evaluation point that absent fathers can affect a childs developmental outcome
most of the studies focused on single mothers from poor socio economic backgrounds, so it may be social factors related to poverty producing these outcomes not the absence of fathers
how does research related to the role of the father have real world applications
fathers are important for mothers too
supportive fathers provide mums with away time, which reduces stress, improves self esteem and improves quality of a mothers relationship with her children
how has the research on the role of the father been limited in changing societies views
fathers equally able to display sensitive responsiveness and form secure attachments with children as women, but society needs to catch up
eg airline companies wont permit males to sit next to non-related children on aeroplanes
these restrictions dont apply to females
how can research from the role of the father be used in the real world to improve attachments in children
fathers who spend more time with children
children develop firm attachments
suggests the amount of interaction is important
what are the two major animal studies of attachment
Harlow 1959
Lorenz 1935
what was the aim of Harlows monekys study
to study the mechanisms by which newborn rhesus monkeys bond with their mothers
in harlows monkeys experiment, what were the monkeys highly dependent on their mother for
nutrition
protection
comfort
socialisation
what would the behavioural theory of attachment suggest would happen in relation to harlows monkeys experiment
suggest that an infant would form an attachment with a carer that provides food
what was Harlows opinion to what would happen in his monkeys experiment that differed from what behavioural theory would suggest
attachment develops as a result of the mother providning ‘tactive comfort’
suggesting infants have an innate (biological) need to touch and cling to something for emotional comfort
what was the aim of hrlows monekys study
to see if monkeys prefer contact comfort or food
what were the two surrogate mothers made of in harlows monkeys experiment
one made of wire
one covered in towelling cloth
cloth mother provided no food unlike wire mother
in harlows monkeys experiment who did they find that the monkeys spent the most amount of time with
cloth mother
only went to wire mother when hungry
which surrogate mother did the monkeys go to when a frihtening object was placed in the cage, in harlows monkeys eexperiment
cloth mother as a safe base
cloth mother was more effective in decreasing the youngsters fear
what was concluded from harlows monkeys expeeriment
attachment is based off contact comfort
what were three criticisms of harlows monkeys study
-counfounding variables
- non-human animals used in research
-ethical issues
whats a confounding variable
any variable that hasnt been controlled for and may influence the findings
how were there confounding variables in harlows monkeys experiment
iv- type of suurogate mother- wire+food/ cloth+no food
heads were different too
acts as a confounding variable
monkey couldve preffered the cloth mother due to a more attractive head
so conclusions lack internal validity
why was husing non human animals a limitation of harlows monkeys study
their cognitive capacity differs from humans as it may not be appropriate to generalise research findings
human behaviour is governed by conscious decisions
what is a counterpoint to the fact that non human animals were used in harlows monkeys experiment
research is supported by schaffer and emersons findings that infants werent most attached to the person who fed them
how were there ethical issues in harlows monkeys experiment
study created lasting emotional harm as the monkeys were later more difficult in their relationships with peers
could be justified in the dignificance it had on our understanding the process of attachment
what was the aim of lorenx’s 1935 experiment
to investigate the mechanisms of imprinting where youngsters follow and form an attachment to the first, large, moving object that they meet
what did lorenz want to investigate in relation to animal attachment
investigate the evolutionary explanation of attachment suggesting infants are pre-programmed to form an attachment from when they are born
what type of animals did lorenz 1935 use in his study
greylag goose
what were the two conditions in lorenz’s greylag goose experiment
one batch hatch naturally with mother
other hatch in incubator
lorenz first moving object they encounter
what procedure did lorenz use to investigate imprinting after he had split up and marked the goslings
placed them under an upturned box and recorded the goslings behaviour
what were the finding of lorenzs research with greylag geese
naturally hatched baby goslings followed their mother
incubator hatched goslings followed lorenz- showing no bond to their actual mother
bonds proved to be irreversable
what did lorenz conclude about the time frame in which imprinting took place
occured only a short period ofvtime after birth
between 4 and 25 hours
what were the conclusions of Lorenz’s research
imprinting is a form of attachment
exhibited mainly by nidifugous birds (ones who leave the nest early) whereby contact is kept with the first large moving object encountered
what is imprinting
an innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother (carer) which takes place during a specific time in development- 48 hours
within what field of psychology have lorenzs study been highly influential
field of developmental psychology
what does the fact that imprinting is irreversable suggest about attachment formation
attachment formation is under biological control and happens within a specific time frame
how have the findings of Lorenz’s study been highly influential
has lead to developmental psychologists such as bowlby
develop well recognised theories of attachment suggesting that attachment formation takes place during a critical period and is also a biological process
these theories have been highly influential in the administration of child care
whose research supported Lorenz’s in imprinting
Guiton 1996