Attachment

Question 1

attachment

Answer 1

• a strong reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and its caregiver

Question 2

reciprocity

Answer 2

• the actions of one partner elicit a response from the other partner with mutual responsiveness
• between child and their caregiver

Question 3

interational synchrony

Answer 3

• an interaction between a child and their caregiver, where they mirror each other’s actions (facial and body movements)
• includes imitating emotions as well as behaviour

Question 4

caregiver-infant interactions
strengths

Answer 4

• filmed observation - inter-reliability
• good validity - no demand characteristics

Question 5

caregiver-infant interactions
limitations

Answer 5

• difficulty to make firm conclusions - an infants mouth is in constant motion
• lacks developmental importance - don’t tell the purpose of interactional synchrony and reciprocity

Question 6

Stages of attachment
(Schaffer & Emerson, 1964)

Answer 6

• asocial attachment - birth to 2 months
• indiscriminate attachment - 2 to 7 months
• specific attachment - 7 to 9 months
• multiple attachments - 9 months onwards

Question 7

asocial attachment

Answer 7

• stage 1
• 0 - 2 months
• similar response to all objects, inanimate or animate

Question 8

indiscriminate attachment

Answer 8

• stage 2
• 2 - 7 months
• infant shows a preference for people rather than inaminate objects
• they accept comfort from any adult
• no stranger or separation anxiety

Question 9

specific attachment

Answer 9

• stage 3
• 7 - 9 months
• infants start to show separation and stranger anxiety from a specific adult
• has formed an attachment to their primary caregiver
• will only receive comfort from their primary caregiver

Question 10

multiple attachments

Answer 10

• stage 4
• 9 months onwards
• displays attachment behaviour towards multiple people
• forms secondary attachments away from primary caregiver

Question 11

Schaffer & Emerson (1964)
aim

Answer 11

• to assess whether there was a pattern of attachment formation that was common to all infants
• to identify and describe the distinct stages of attachment

Question 12

Schaffer & Emerson (1964)
procedure

Answer 12

• longitudinal study of 60 newborn babies (31 male and 29 female) from the working class of Glasgow
• studied at monthly intervals for the first year of their life and again at 18 months
• studied in their own homes, interactions were observed and mothers were interviewed about their babie’s responses
• mothers were asked to keep a diary of the infant’s response to separation in 7 everyday situations

Question 13

Schaffer & Emerson (1964)
results and conclusion

Answer 13

• 4 stages of attachment
• 3% of infants formed a primary attachment to their fathers
• there is a pattern of attachment formation common to all infants, process is biologically controlled