Attachment

Question 1

WHat is the behaviourist view of attachment

Answer 1

Pleasure derived from food is the basis of mother-infant bond

mother = conditionned stimulus linked with food

Question 2

What did Bowlby recognized, studying intense emotional distress of children oprhaned during WW2

Answer 2

1- distress due to separation from parents and not having emotional needs met. this was a new concept at the time

2-Behaviours observed are adaptive responses to separation from an attachment figure

Question 3

What is Bowlby’s attachment thory

Answer 3

Children are biologically predisposed to develop attachment to caregivers as a means of increasing chances of their survival.

The mechanism of survival is the attachment system.

when separated from caregiver or when bad event happens, activation of attachment system

Question 4

4 features of the attachment system

Answer 4

1. Proximity maintenance and seeking
2. Separation distress
3. Safe haven (place to go to be reassurred, co-regulation)
4. Secure base (security from which they can explore the environment. cant explore environment if attachment system is activated)

Question 5

What did Mary Ainsworth develop

Answer 5

The Strange Situation procedure

Question 6

What does the Strange Situation allows to assess

Answer 6

Children’s attachment to a specific caregiver

Question 7

What reaction is most important in the strange situation

Answer 7

Reaction to reunion with caregiver

Question 8

4 attachment styles

Answer 8

-secure (60%)
-insecure/avoidant (15%)
-insecure/resistant (10%)
-insecure/disorganized (15%)

Question 9

Determinants of attachment styles

Answer 9

-parents
-genetics. temperament

Question 10

Serotonin transporter gene: S allele (vs L allele) associated with what?

Answer 10

associated with greater reactivity to stress

Question 11

results of study on variations in serotonin transporter gene

Answer 11

children with a least one S allele had more attachment disorganization if raised in institution. but less attachment disorganization if raised with family.

again the idea of dandelions vs orchids

Question 12

true or false: having at least one secure attachment seems to buffer against the negative effects of insecure attachment

Answer 12

true. enough to act as safe guard

Question 13

Results of the SECCYD (study of early child care and youth development)

Answer 13

High maternal sensitivity group: doesn’t matter what the childcare is like, children are good.

Low maternal sensitivity group:
-if high quality childcare: child will be good
-if low quality childcare: children’s attachment suffering