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Psychology A-Level > Attachment > Flashcards

Attachment Flashcards

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1
Q

What is psychosocial development?

A

When children form relationships,
Interact with others,
Learn to understand and manage their feelings.

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2
Q

Outline 3 methods of communication between an infant and a caregiver

A

Interactions synchrony-
Form of tun taking as infant moves body to the rhythm of caregivers voice

Reciprocity-
Both producing responses from each other

Mimicking-
Infant copies the actions of their caregiver

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3
Q

Outline research into interactional synchrony

A

Isabella et al.
Found that infants with secure attachments demonstrated intersectional synchrony in the first year of their life.

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4
Q

Outline research into mimicry

A

Meltzoff and moore

Infants aged two to three weeks would mimic parents,

Mimicry is an innate ability that helps in the formation of an attachment

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5
Q

Outline research into bodily attachment

A

Klaus and kennel

Compares mothers who had extended contact with child and ones who only had contact when feeding,

Attachments were stronger with more bodily contact

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6
Q

Evaluate klaus and kennel

A

Strength
Real world effects,
Hospitals give the mothers their infant as soon as possible

Durkin
Disputed claiming that attention was given to unmarried mothers and poor

Chateau and wiberg
Did same as klaus and kennel but with Swedish mothers and found similar results.

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7
Q

Describe and evaluate a study into interactional synchrony

A

Condon and sander (1974)

Videos of parents talking to their newborns were analysed frame by frame
. The behaviour of the newborn was noted.

Results

Newborns coordinate their movements and gestures with human speech

Concluded that IS starts at a young age

Meltzoff and moore claimed this was two weeks

High ecological validity,
Parents and babies in their own environment

However
Behaviour of newborns is open to interpretation

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8
Q

Describe Schaffer and Emerson

A

Find age when attachments start and how intense they were

Studied 60 babies
Working class area in Glasgow

1st year- observing them every 4 weeks
Then at 18 months

Interviews also conducted with mothers
,
Questions include who baby looks at and responds to

Strength of attachment measured by:

Separation anxiety-
How they feel away from their caregiver

Stranger anxiety-
How they feel around people who aren’t their caregiver

Findings:
First specific attachment formed by 50% of infants between 25-32 weeks

Multiple attachments formed by 18 months, 31% had 5 or more attachments

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9
Q

Outline the stages of attachment found by Schaffer and Emerson

A

Asocial
Indiscriminate
Specific attachment
Multiple attachment

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10
Q

Describe the asocial stage

A

0-6 weeks
Attention seeking behaviour

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11
Q

Describe the indiscriminate stage

A

6 weeks - 7 months

Seeks attention from anyone
Preferences are shown to familiar faces

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12
Q

Describe specific attachment dtage

A

7-11 months
Child is primarily attached to main caregiver

If separated, child becomes distressed

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13
Q

Describe the multiple attachment stage

A

11-
Multiple attach,ents for different purposes,
Mother for loving care
Father for play

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14
Q

What were opposing beliefs about multiple attachments

A

Bowlby
Children had one primary attachment
Other attachments formed after the primary attachment were less important

Rutter(1995)
All attachments are of equal importance
Attachments combine to help a child’s internal working model

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15
Q

What is a strength to multiple attachments

A

Evolutionary advantage

If a child loses a figure, there are others to take its place

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16
Q

Explain the role of the father and factors of a father-child dynamic

A

Researchers believe the father acts more like a playmate.
Mothers are often the primary caregiver because of their sensitive responsiveness,
This can also be found in fathers who are the main caregiver

Factors
Degree of sensitivity-
Helps to develop secure attachments

Marital intimacy-
Attachent to children = attachment to partner

Single parent fathers-
Form similar to own parents

Supportive co parenting-
Level of support father gives to his partner affects attachment to children

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17
Q

Outline research into the role of the father

A

Geiger(1996)
Fathers playing is more exciting than mothers. Supports view as playmate

Lamb(1987)
Children interact with fathers when in a positive mental state, seeking stimulation rather than comfort

Also found

If father becomes primary caregiver they become more responsive,
Not a biological ability limited to women

Hardy(1999)
Fathers are less able than mothers to detect low levels of infant stress,
Unsuitable as primary caregivers

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18
Q

Describe father attachment implications

A

Secure attachments means

Better relationships with peers
Less problem behaviour
Better at regulating emotions

If without father:
Do less well at school
Higher levels of risk taking and aggression, especially in boys

Suggests fathers can help prevent negative developmental outcomes

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19
Q

Evaluate research into the role of the father

A

Pedersen(1979)

Outcomes could be due to socio-economic backgrounds, many studies have focused on female single mothers and poorer families

Evidence suggests fathers are just as capable of displaying responsiveness but social conventions see fathers differently

Amount of interaction is important

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20
Q

Describe Ross et al(1975)

A

Correlational study
Measured number of nappies changed and strength of attachment

Results

Positive correlation

Conc

More time a father spends engaged in care giver activities, the stronger the attachment will be

Easy to replicate
Practical applications for parenting

Lacks temporal validity, based in 1975
Correlations cannot show cause

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21
Q

Describe Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg(1988)

A

Meta analysis of 32 cross-cultural studies of attachment
Using strange situation

Most secure-
Britain 75%

Most avoidant-
West Germany 35%

Most resistant-
Israel 29%

Although secure attachment was the most common, cultural variations may explain child rearing styles rather than attachment.

Strange situation isn’t culturally biased towards western child rearing practices

Strength
Useful diagnostic tool

Limit
Small samples, hard to generalise
Variations within cultures greater than between cultures
Not suitable for studying cross cultural variations as based on western ideals

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22
Q

Describe and evaluate Harlow

A

1950s

Separated newborn monkeys from their mothers.
Presented with 2 surrogate mothers
One was wire and had milk
Other was softer but didn’t dispense milk

Monkeys preferred the soft monkey even though they didn’t show nourishment
Only went to metal when needed to be fed

Concluded that there was more to a mother child bond than nourishment

Feelings of comfort and security are critical to maternal infant bonding which leads to healthy psychosocial development

23
Q

What is meant by imprinting

A

When an animal attaches to a moving thing,
Usually immediately after they hatch

Innate instinct that is genetically passed down rather than a learned behaviour

24
Q

Describe Lorenz(1935)

A

Hatched a group of grey lag geese
Half were incubated
Half left with their mother

Once hatched, incubated geese followed him around like they would a mother
Geese imprinted on Lorenz

L tested by putting them all together in an upside down box
Once removed, only his imprinted geese followed him

25
Q

What did Lorenz conclude

A

Critical period
Generally between 2013-16 hours after hatching

If hatchlings didn’t imprint during this time, imprinting didn’t happen

Once imprinted. Cannot imprint on anything,
Not reversible

26
Q

Describe learning theory

A

Attachment happens because the infant associated caregiver with food

Two types,
Classical
Operant

27
Q

What ethical issues are associated with Lorenz

A

Geese caused distress by being separated by mothers

However geese were well cared for during the study

28
Q

Describe classical conditioning

A

Response is produced naturally by stimulus
Becomes associated with another stimulus that’s not normally associated with that particular response

29
Q

How are attachment learned by food

A

Food(unconditioned stimulus)
Produces a natural response of pleasure(unconditioned response)
Being paired with a caregiver(conditional stimulus)

30
Q

Describe operant conditioning

A

Where an action with a pleasurable outcome is repeated, the behaviour will be repeated

31
Q

Describe Bowlbys Monotropic theory

A

Evolution is the primary explanation for attachments

Attachment evolved to makes sure offspring remain close to caregivers

Social releases
Complimentary system develops only if carers respond to these

Critical period

Internal working model

32
Q

What are social releases

A

Crying
Smiling, vocalising
Following and clinging

Increase their chance of survival by getting attention

33
Q

Describe the internal working model

A

First and strongest bond forms a model or template for all future relationships

Disruption could have repercussions later on

34
Q

Evaluate Bowlby’s theory

A

Schaffer and Emerson (1964)
Multiple attachments are the norm

Rutter(1981)
Infants form a range of attachment with many individuals

Lamb et al(1982)
Infants form multiple attachments for different reasons, not hierarchical

IWM is supported

Imprinting applies to precocial animals, humans are altricial

35
Q

Describe the method for the Strange Situation

A

Mother and infant placed in room together.
Toys
After child explores the room, stranger enters the room
Mother leaves baby with stranger
After a few minutes, mother returns

Based on how infants responded, Ainsworth identified 3 types of parent-child attachments

36
Q

Outline criticisms of the strange situation

A

Child’s temper may have a strong influence on attachment

Attachment varies from culture,
Wasn’t counted in research

37
Q

Describe the secure attachment

A

Secure-
Most common
Healthiest

Infant prefers their parent
Figure is used as a secure base to explore,
Sought out in times of stress

In SS- distressed when mother left room , happy to see them

Caregivers are sensitive na respond to their needs

38
Q

Describe the avoidant attachment

A

Child is unresponsive to parent
Doesn’t care if parent leaves

Reacts to the parent same way they would a stranger

SS child is slow to show a positive reaction

Caregiver is more insensitive and inattentive to their needs

39
Q

Describe the resistant attachment

A

Child shows clingy behaviour
Reject attachment figures attempts to interact with them

Too fearful of toys in the room

Disturbed during separation and become angry with parent

Difficult to comfort

Caregiver has inconsistent level of response to their child

40
Q

Describe research for cultural variations in attachment

A

Malin(1997)
Observed Australian Aboriginal infants who are discouraged from exploring because of threats and distractions of food.
Stay close to mothers and use them as secure bases
Because of differences in child rearing, infants labelled as insecurely attached and many placed in care

41
Q

What is the PDD model

A

Protest despair detachment

How a child comforts themselves when separated from parent

42
Q

Describe research into maternal separation

A

Robertson and Robertson(1971)

A secure child experienced severe distress when he spent 9 days in a residential nursery following his mother’s hospitalisation.

When mother returned,
John appeared confused and tried to get away from her.
Negative effects evident years later

John went through stages of PDD, suffered serious irreversible damage,

Supported Bowlbys theory

43
Q

Outline a study that is an implication for long-term deprivation

A

Furstenberg snd Kiernan(2001)

Children who have experienced divorce suffer not on,y emotionally but also in academia and psychical health

43
Q
A
44
Q

What is meant by privation

A

Children are not given the opportunity to form attachment bonds

45
Q

Describe a case study for Privation

A

Curtiss(1977) and Rymer(1993)

Genie
Denied human contact, beaten, strapped to a potty seat until she was discovered at the age of 13.

Couldn’t stand or speak
Developed language skills and her IQ improved from 38 to 74 between 1971 and 1977

46
Q

Describe the disinhibited attachment

A

Behaviour that institutionalised children exhibit

Clingy, attention seeking behaviour,
Indiscriminate sociability to adults

47
Q

Describe research into effects of institutionalisation

A

Goldfarb(1943)

Compared 15 children in institutions
Aged 6 months to 3 1/2

To
15 children who went straight from their natural mothers to foster care

By 3, the socially isolated children scored worse on measures of abstract thinking, social maturity, rule following and sociability.

Socially isolated children continue to perform poorly between 10 and 14

Average IQ of 72 compared to other group with 95

48
Q

Describe research into maternal separation

A

Bowlby)1944)
44 thieves

Compared 44 juvenile thieves with non thieves who had experienced emotional problems

Found that 32% of thieves exhibited affection-less psychopathy and lack of social conscience

86% of affectionless psychopaths had experienced maternal separation compared to 17% who were not categorised as affectionless psychopaths

Supports that maternal deprivation can have long lasting effects

49
Q

Describe Tizard and Hodges(1978)

A

Studied private’s children in institutionalised care in their first 4 months

Couldn’t form attachements because of high staff turnover and a no staff-children relationship policy

Adopted, returned home or remained,

All accessed at 8 and 16 and compared with control group

Remained,
No strong attachments , had problems relating to peers

Adopted,
String attachments, had trouble with relationships outside of the family

Returned,
Poor family and peer relationships, behavioural problems

Show’s care can have negative effects but can develop attachments when in a loving environment.

50
Q

Describe a study on Romanian orphans

A

Rutter(1998)

In Romania, abortion and contraception banned,
Orphanages unable to cope with influx of children.

Lacked in physical and emotional factors, split into age groups meant no older figures.

Many taken to British couples who were monitored by rutter

Longitudinal study
Quasi-experiment
IV- age
C1- adopted before six months
C2- adopted between 6 months and 2 years
C3- adopted after 2 years

DV was cognitive functioning

111 Romanian orphans assessed upon arrival and when aged 4

Rutter found that 50% were poor CF at initial assessment, also underweight.
CG of 52 British didn’t show these.

By 4, showed improvement in physical and cognitive development,
Adopted before six months, doing as well as British

51
Q

What are Bowlbys four main principles

A

Attachment has an evolutionary basis

Humans create one main attachment

We develop an internal working model during infancy

There is a critical period of attachment

52
Q

Describe evidence for the internal working model

A

Hazen and Shaver(1987)

Developed a two-part love quiz published in a local paper

First part-
Asked about attachment to parents

Second part-
Current opinions on romantic love

620 responses analysed

Correlation between childhood experiences of attachment and current opinions

Volunteers sample, could’ve attracted a particular type of person

Self report, inaccuracy

53
Q

What is the critical period for attachment in humans

A

3 years

Psychology A-Level (6 decks)

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