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Psychology P1 > attachment > Flashcards

attachment Flashcards

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1
Q

define reciprocity

A

both CG and baby respond to eachothers signals, both eliciting a response from one another

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2
Q

what is an alert phase during reciprocity and what is an example of this?

A

periodic phases when baby signals they are ready for interaction (e.g eye contact)

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3
Q

How often do mothers pick up on these alert phases?

A

2/3 of the time ( Feildman and Eidelman )

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4
Q

What is meant by active involvement in reciprocity?

A

both baby and CG are involved

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5
Q

Define interactional synchrony

A

CG and baby reflect both the actions and emotions of eachother and do this in a synchronised way

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6
Q

When does synchrony begin?

A

2 weeks old (Meltzoff and Moore)

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7
Q

Who and how proved interactional synchrony is important for attachment ?

A

Isabella et al. (1989) - 30 mothers and babies , assessed degree of synchrony. High levels of synchrony associated with good quality attachment.

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8
Q

How is filmed observations a strength of research into CG infant interactions?

A

No observers- covert,
less demand characteristics ,
watched later - less chance of missing phenomena ,
inter rater reliability can be established.

GOOD RELIABILITY + VALIDITY

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9
Q

Why is having difficulty observing babies a weakness of research into CG infant interactions?

A

Hard to interpret babies behaviour as they lack coordination and are relatively immobile ( passing wind or smiling )
Is behaviour random or triggered?

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10
Q

Why is research into CG infant interactions not showing its developmental importance a weakness?

A

Observation ≠ meaning
Feldman (2012) - said interactional synchrony only gives names to patterns of behaviour, doesn’t tell us its purpose

Observational research alone is not sufficient

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11
Q

Why could it be argued that CG infant interactions are important for attachment ?

A

Isabella et al. (1989)
Achievement of IS predicted good quality attachment

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12
Q

Outline Schaffer and Emerson’s research.

A

(1964) - 60 Glaswegian babies from working class babies
Asked mothers questions about babies protest to 7 everyday situations
To measure attachment

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13
Q

Outline the asocial stage

A

Few weeks old
Same behaviour to humans and objects
Preference for familiar people

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14
Q

Outline indiscriminate stage

A

2-7 months
obvious preference for humans
Any humans can cuddle / provide comfort
No stranger or separation anxiety

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15
Q

Outline specific attachment stage

A

From 7 months
Stranger and separation anxiety
Specific attachment to primary attachment figure ( 65% mothers)

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16
Q

Outline multiple attachment stage

A

Shortly after specific attachments formed
Form secondary attachments form
(29% of babies form these 1 month after specific attachment)

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17
Q

How does Schaffer and Emerson’s (1964) research have good external validity?

A

Observations by parents so less demand characteristics and anxiety
So more natural behaviour

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18
Q

4 evaluation points for CG interactions

A

Filmed observations
Difficulty observing babies
No developmental importance
Counter- Isabella et al.

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19
Q

What is the issue with using mothers as observers ? (Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

A

Unlikely to be objective
Social desirability bias
Behaviours not noticed or misremembered
Not recorded accurately

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20
Q

Why is the evidence for asocial stage poor?

A

Young babies have poor coordination so many just appear asocial when they might be social but not be able to express this in a observable way

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21
Q

How can Schaffer’s stages of attachment be useful for real world application ?

A

When to put babies in nursery
Asocial and indiscriminate okay but may be problematic after 7 months (in specific and multiple stage)

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22
Q

How many fathers are the primary attachment figure?

A

3% sole attachment
29% joint attachment with mother
(Schaffer and Emerson 1964)

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23
Q

Who did research into the distinct role of a father? Outline this research

A

Grossmann et al. (2002)
Longitudinal study following babies into teens
Found fathers have role of play and stimulation and mothers - emotional development

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24
Q

What is said about fathers as the primary attachment figure ?

A

Field (1978) - primary CG mothers and fathers showed similar level of interaction.
Primary CG fathers show more interactions with baby than secondary CG fathers .
Shows they can have the emotion focused role

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25
What is confusing about the question ‘what is the role of the father’ ?
Some answer it as fathers as secondary attachments , some as distinct role , some as primary attachment. Means question is too vague and over simplified
26
How can research into the role of the father be applied to real life?
To give advice for parents Less pressure on mother to stay at home as fathers can do role Less pressure on fathers to return to work if they want to stay at home
27
How does evidence on role of the father conflict eachother?
Varies according to methodology used Longitudinal ( Grossmann ) found father has distinct role. However … McCallum and Golombok found that lesbian and single parent babies develop same attachment without a father figure Question of distinct role still unanswered
28
How might research into the role of the father not actually be conflicting?
Lesbian and single parents may just adapt to fulfil role - e.g doing both roles or taking 1 role each Fathers tend to have distinct role but in the absence of a father, others can adapt
29
4 evaluation points for role of the father
Confusion over research question Real world application Conflicting evidence Not actually conflicting
30
Outline Lorenz’s procedure
Randomly divided clutch of goose eggs Half with mother goose ,half hatched in incubator with Lorenz .
31
Outline Lorenz findings
Control group follow mother Experimental group follow Lorenz Critical period of a few hours
32
What is meant by sexual imprinting? With example
Courtship behaviour / preference to who you imprint on For example, peacock raised with reptiles showed courtship to tortoises
33
Why is Lorenz study not generalisable to humans?
Extrapolation Humans more physiologically and psychologically complex E.g attachment is two way process in mammals So not appropriate to apply to humans
34
What is the research that supports Lorenz ?
Chicks exposed to shape patterns Followed the shape they were exposed to Shows innate mechanism to imprint on first moving object / animal / person
35
2 evaluations for Lorenz
Generalisability to humans Research support
36
Outline Harlows procedure
16 baby rhesus monkeys In cage with wire monkey and cloth monkey In one group wire monkey gave milk and in the other cloth monkey gave milk
37
What was the findings of Harlows study?
Monkeys preferred cloth monkey even if wire monkey have food Went to cloth monkey when scared for comfort
38
What happened to Harlows maternally deprived monkeys when they were adults ?
Permanent affect and severe consequences More aggressive , less sociable Unskilled at mating Killed there children
39
What did Harlow find the critical period for monkeys to be?
90 days
40
How does Harlows research have real world application ?
For social workers and psychologists to screen children and see that lack of bonding is a risk factor for poor outcomes and bad mental health Research is theoretical and practical
41
What is the issue with generalisability in Harlows study?
Better than birds But human brain is still much more complex then monkey brains
42
2 evaluation points for Harlow
Real world application Generalisability to humans
43
How did Bowlby propose attachment behaviour is evolutionary ?
As attachment is innate and gives survival advantage so is more likely to be passed onto next generation
44
What is a social releaser with examples?
A signal that the baby wants social interaction and to make adult want attachment with a baby. For example , cooing and gripping
45
When is the critical period according to Bowlby?
6 months - 2 years
46
What is monotropy ?
Attachment to one person is different to any one else
47
What did Bowlby say attachment should be?
consistent and continuous
48
What is the internal working model ?
Internal representation of attachment , is the model for later attachments
49
What research questions the validity of monotropy?
Schaffer and Emerson found that 29% or babies form joint first attachments They found first attachment is just stronger, not different As secondary attachments have same qualities ( safe base )
50
What is the support for social releasers existing ?
Evidence cute behaviours elicit reaction from CG Brazelton et al (1975) babies triggered interactions by social releasers Caregivers told to ignore and babies became increasingly more distressed and some even curled up and lay motionless Shows the role of social releasers
51
What is the support for the internal working model?
Patterns of attachment passed onto next generation Bailey (2007) found mothers with poor attachment to their mothers have babies who are poorly attached to them
52
What is a weakness of the internal working model?
It is reductionist Doesn’t take into account genetic differences in anxiety level Doesn’t take into account parenting style Doesn’t take into account all factors
53
How does learning theory suggest attachment is made ?
Operant conditioning and classical conditioning
54
How is the baby positively reinforced during attachment
Baby cries , Is fed , Crying behaviour is more likely to be repeated
55
How is the CG negatively reinforced ?
Baby cries , CG feeds baby to stop crying ,
56
Who proposed learning theory ?
Dollard and miller
57
How does classical conditioning cause attachment
Mother and feeling of being fed ( pleasure ) associated with eachother
58
What is meant by mutual reinforcement in learning theory ?
Both CG and baby reinforced , strengthening the attachment
59
What is the primary drive in learning theory ? Why?
Hunger as its innate
60
What is the secondary drive in learning theory ? Why?
Attachment, as it becomes associated with the babies need for food
61
How do animal studies show counter evidence for learning theory?
Lorenz - geese attach/imprint- no food involved Harlow - monkeys preferred cloth mother even if wire mother gave food Shows other factors are more important
62
How do you human studies provide counter evidence for learning theory ?
Schaffer and Emerson found babies form main attachment to mother more commonly regardless of who feeds them Isabella et al found synchrony predicts good attachment Food is not main factor
63
How could some conditioning be involved in attachment ?
Baby may associate mother with comfort or warmth This may be classically conditions So still may be some what valid in explaining / understanding babies attachment
64
Why is it bad that the learning theory explanation suggests that the baby has a passive role ?
Feldman and Eidelmen show babies have a very active role even as young as 2 weeks Conditioning ≠ adequate explanation
65
4 evaluation points for learning theory explanation for attachment
Counter evidence from human studies Counter evidence from animal studies Some conditioning involved Suggests baby has passive role
66
Outline the procedure of Ainsworth’s strange situation?
Controlled covert observation 7 episodes lasting 3 minutes each
67
What are the 7 episodes of Ainsworths strange situation?
Baby encouraged to explore, stranger comes in, caregiver leaves , caregiver returns and stranger leaves , stranger returns, caregiver returns
68
What behaviours is the strange situation testing?
Exploration and secure base behaviour Stranger and separation anxiety Reunion behaviour
69
What are the 3 types of attachment as found from the strange situation?
Secure (B) Insecure avoidant ( A) Insecure resistant (C)
70
What are the characteristics of type A attachment ?
Explore freely but no secure base or proximity seeking behaviour No reaction when CG leaves Reunion avoided
71
What are the characteristics of type B attachment ?
Proximity seeking and secure base behaviour Moderate separation and stranger anxiety Accept comfort on reunion
72
What are the characteristics of type C attachment ?
More proximity seeking and explore less. High stranger and separation anxiety Resist comfort on reunion
73
What are the percentages for each attachment type for British babies ?
Secure - 60-75% Insecure avoidant - 20-25% Insecure resistant - ≈ 3%
74
How does the strange situation have good predictive validity?
Outcome predicts aspects of babies later development Type B: less bullying involvement, better achievement , better mental health Finds something real and meaningful for future
75
What does Kagan 1982 say about what the strange situation is testing?
Says it is testing genetically influenced anxiety levels that account for the variations in attachment behaviour Can also explain why attachment type reflects future behaviour Therefore does it actually measure attachment?
76
How does the strange situation have good reliability ?
Good inter rater reliability Bick (2012) found agreement of 94% Is controlled and focuses on clearly observable behaviours Can be confident attachment type assessed is objective
77
How is strange situation culturally bound ?
Not valid in different cultural context as babies have different experiences Takahashi found higher type C proportion in Japan as mother and baby rarely separated Can’t be applied in other countries
78
4 evaluation points for types of attachment
Good predictive validity Is it attachment Good reliability Culturally bound
79
Outline Van Ijendoorn and Kroonenbergs research
Meta analysis of 32 strange situation studies from 8 countries 1190 children in total
80
What were the findings of Van Ijendoorn and Kroonenbergs research?
Secure attachment majority in all countries (75% in UK , 50% in China) Individualistic cultures - type c always under 14% Collectivist cultures - type C above 14% More variation in countries then between countries
81
Outline Simonelli (2014) strange situation
Italy Type B - 50% Type A - 36% As mothers work long hours
82
Outline Jin et al (2014) strange situation
Korean Insecure + secure proportions similar But less avoidant Similar to Japan as similar child rearing practices
83
What can we conclude about the cross cultural replications of strange situation ?
Secure attachment is the norm in all cultures which supports Bowlby’s idea that attachment is innate Cultural practices do have an influence
84
Briefly outline Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?
There are emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between child and mother
85
What’s the difference between separation and deprivation?
Separation only an issue when child’s emotional care is missing = deprivation Extended separations = deprivation
86
What is the critical period for maternal deprivation?
Up to 2.5 years but risk until 5 If deprivation occurs here, damage is inevitable
87
What are the effects of maternal deprivation ?
Low IQ - Goldfarb (1974) lower IQ when from institutions Abnormal emotional development- affectionless psychopathy meaning no fulfilling relationships and more criminality as lack of remorse
88
Outline Bowlby’s research on the 44 juvenile thieves ?
44 criminal teenagers accused of stealing Family interviewed Control group = teenagers who aren’t criminal but disturbed emotionally
89
Outline the findings of the research into juvenile thieves ?
14/44 thieves affectionless psychopaths 12/14 maternally deprived 5/ remaining 30 had separation 2/44 in control group had separations
90
What is the difference between deprivation and privation and how is this a weakness of the juvenile thief research ?
Rutter (1981) - deprivation = loss of attachment , privation = attachment not formed e.g in an institution. Thieves prived not deprived So Bowlby overestimated seriousness of affects from deprivation
91
How could the critical period actually be a sensitive period?
As quality aftercare after deprivation can undo damage For example , the Czech twins ( abused from 2-7) then had excellent care and recovered fully Therefore sensitive not critical
92
How is Bowlby’s evidence flawed ?
Bowlby carried out the interviewed so researcher bias Goldfarb research on IQ affected by confounding variables such as poor conditions and trauma So serious flaws effect validity
93
What research supports Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?
New evidence from Levi et al shows effects of MD rats separated from mother for even a day had permanent affects
94
4 attachment points for maternal deprivation
Deprivation vs privation Critical vs sensitive periods Flawed evidence Evidence support
95
Outline Rutter et al. Research
Followed 165 Romanian Orphans Who were adopted by UK families Can good care make up for bad early attachments ? Physical and cognitive development assessed at 4,6,11,15,22-25
96
What are the findings of Rutter et al. Research ?
Low IQ ADHD more common Disinhibited attachment When adopted before 6 months , less disinhibited attachment
97
Zeanah et al. Research
95 Romanian orphans ages 12-31 months Measured attachment by strange situation 19% secure , 44% disinhibited
98
What are the effects of institutionalisation and why?
Disinhibited attachment - as adaptation to living in institution with many CG - same friendly behaviour to all Intellectual disability - adopted before 6 months = by 4 caught up
99
4 evaluation points for institutionalisation
Real world application Lack of adult data Fewer confounding variables Still some confounding variables
100
How can research into institutionalisation have real world value?
To give orphans key workers rather than many caregivers Foster care preferred to improve conditions Understanding effects to improve and fix issues
101
Why is lack of adult data from the Romanian orphans bad?
Only followed them into 20s Main questions of long term effects ( eg marriage and parenthood ) still unanswered They may actually eventually catch up
102
Why does Romanian orphans have less confounding variables then Goldfarb?
Goldfarb - war orphans - difficult to disable effects of neglect , abuse and bereavement from the effects of institutionalisation However Romanian orphans had loving parents so less confounding variables Higher external validity
103
Why are there still some confounding variables in the Romanian orphan studies?
Romanian institutions still had poor conditions EG little comfort or intellectual stimulation Does research show effect of institutionalisation or poor institutional care
104
How does the internal working model predict future attachment?
It is a template for future child and adult relationships Therefore childhood attachment is very important for functional future relationships Type A and C struggle to form attachment
105
How does attachment type relate to peer relationships
Secure - best quality Insecure - friend ship difficulties Insecure avoidant= bullying victims Insecure resistant = bullies
106
How does attachment type affect future attachment ?
Hazan + Shaver - secure babies have best adult outcome ( romantic relationships ) Insecure avoidant - have intimacy issues Insecure resistant - friendship issues Bailey et al- mothers attachment affects babies
107
4 evaluation points for Influence of early attachment on later relationships
Research support Conflicting evidence Validity issues Confounding variables
108
What is the research support for attachment types affecting future relationships?
Review of attachment studies concluded that early attachments predict later attachment and emotional wellbeing . Eg - disorganised = mental disorder Secure has advantages
109
What is the counter evidence for attachment type affecting future relationships?
Research on 43 individuals studied from 1-16 . No evidence of continuity from 1-16 years of attachment type
110
Why does research into the affect of early attachment on later relationships have research issues
Most of the assessed retrospective using self report = social desirability bias = forgetting Assumes attachment type will remain the same
111
What else could cause the continuity between early and later attachments ?
Parenting style and genes

Psychology P1 (8 decks)

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