Attachment Flashcards
definition of an attachment?
an emotional reciprocal bond between two people
the three behaviours that indicate that an attachment has been formed?
- proximity seeking
- separation anxiety
- secure base behaviour
define a caregiver?
any person providing care for a child - mostly mother
define interactional synchrony?
caregiver and child mirror what the other is doing in terms of their facial expressions and body movement in a coordinated way
define reprocity?
responding to the action of another with similar action
the actions if one person elicits a response from the other (turn taking)
what is caregiverese?
high pitched voice used by adults to aid communication between carer and infant to increase attachment
explain Brazeltons research into reciprocity?
- early reciprocity lays the foundation for later attachment between caregiver and infant
explain Meltzoff and Moores research into interactional synchrony?
- investigate age that interactional synchrony occurs between mum n child
- videotaped twelve 21 day old babies
- adult displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions or gestures
- observed beginnings of IS in babies as young as 2 weeks old
evaluation of research into caregiver infant interactions?
• filmed in a controlled environment
- observation with behavioural categories + coding system
- can be watched multiple times by multiple people - inter observer reliability - high internal validity
• difficult to interpret a baby’s behaviour - they lack self control and stability - move a lot and easily distracted - cant be sure its not a coincidence that they make the facial expression
• doesn’t tell us its developmental importance as it simply describes behaviour that occur @ same time not their purpiose
- cant obtain from research alone that reciprocal interaction and synchrony are helpful in development of attachment altho there is more research fo suggest a connection
who is the key study for the STAGES of attachment?
shcaffer and emerson !!!!
what are the aims of Schaffer’s study on stages of attachment?
asses whether there was a pattern of attachment formation that was common to all infants
and identify and describe the distinct stages by which attachment develops
whats the procedure of Schaffers stages of attachment study?
• longitudinal study on 60 new born babies and their mothers from a working class area of glasgow
• studied at monthly intervals for the first year of their life and again at 18 months
• babies were studied at home, interactions with their carers observed and carers were interviewed about their babies responses
• evidence for development of an attachment was the baby showered separation anxiety after a carer left and stranger anxiety when researchers approached
what could they conclude from Schaffers stage of attachment key study?
• the process of attachment is biologically controlled
• attachments most likely to form with those responded accurately to the baby’s signals
• multiple attachments is the norm and mothering can be shared
what is the four stages of attachment?
- asocial attachment
- indiscriminate attachment
- specific attachment
- multiple attachment
describe the asocial stage (1) of attachment?
- 0/2 months
- cant distinguish between animate and inanimate objects
describe the indiscriminate stage (2) of attachment?
- 2/7 months
- display more observable social behaviour
- show preference for people than objects (but not for any one person)
describe the discriminate stage (3) of attachment?
- 7/9 months!!!
- attachment formed
- seperation and stranger anxiety showed
- primary attachment figure formed (person who responds to signals - signal responsiveness)
describe the multiple attachments stage (4) of attachment?
- 1+ year!!!
- show attachments with others (secondary attachments)
- most show secondary one month after primary
LESSON 7-
what study is used for the types of attachment?
Ainsworth Strange Situation
whats the aim of Aimsworths strange situation?
observe key attachment behaviour to assess the quality of a child’s attachment type
summary of the procedure for Ainsworths strange situation?
• controlled observation
• takes place in a room with controlled conditions
• two way mirror for psychologists to observe behaviour
• 12-18 month old babies, all white middle class american!!!
what are the five behaviours that Ainsworth is looking at the infants response with/to?
• proximity seeking
• secure base behaviour
• stranger anxiety
• separation anxiety
• response to reunion
how many episodes are there in ainsworths strange situation?
8
what is episode 1 of ainsworth strange situation?
parent and infant play as normal
what is episode 2
of ainsworth strange situation?
parent sits, infant plays
- use of parent as secure base
what is episode 3 of ainsworth strange situation?
stranger enters and talks to parent
- test stranger anxiety
what is episode 4 of ainsworth strange situation?
parent leaves, infant plays and stranger offers comfort if needed
- separation anxiety
what is episode 5 of ainsworth strange situation?
parent returns, greets infant + comforts them, stranger leaves
- reunion behaviour
what is episode 6 of ainsworth strange situation?
parent leaves, infant is alone
- test separation anxiety
what is episode 7 of ainsworth strange situation?
stranger enters and offers comfort
- stranger anxiety
what is episode 8 of ainsworth strange situation?
parent returns and greets infant and offers comfort, stranger is gone
- reunion behaviour
from the original USA study in 1969, what were the percentages that Ainsworth found for each type of attachment?
- secure 66%
- insecure avoidant 22%
- insecure resistant 12%
what are the behaviours shown for secure attachment?
- seek proximity with mother present and show secure base behaviour
- moderate seperation and stranger anxiety
- accepts comfort on reunion stage enthusiastically
what are the behaviours shown for insecure avoidant attachment?
- mother is present, plays freely but not not seek proximity or show secure base behaviour
- low sep anxiety or stranger anxiety
- no comfort needed, avoids it at reunion stage
what are the behaviours shown for insecure resistant attachment?
- clingy and seeks high proximity with mother present (no secure base b)
- HIGH sep and stranger anxiety
- seek but resists comfort on reunion !!!
