Attachment Flashcards
what are the 4 key behaviours of attachment?
Seek proximity to primary caregiver
Caregiver and infant experience distress on separation
Both experience pleasure when reunited
Orientation of behaviour towards primary caregiver
what are the 2 types of non-verbal interaction?
Reciprocity:
Responding to an action of another with another action (actions causing a response)
Builds skills for later communication (caregiver can predict behaviour and respond appropriately
Synchrony:
Caregiver and infant imitate one another (imitation on purpose by infant to be synchronised)
what was one investigation into how infants and caregivers behaved?
Controlled investigation on infants and caregivers
- 4 different stimuli (3 different faces and a hand gesture)
-2-3 week old infant presented with one of the 4 stimuli
-researchers filmed it, the it’s judged by blind judges (no bias)
what are 4 evaluation points of this study?
2 or more observers should produce same record (inter- observer reliability)
All scores greater then 0.92 (strong correlation of agreement)
-genuine imitation (supports synchrony)
Controlled- eliminates extraneous variables, can infer cause and effect (high internal validity)
-lacks ecological validity (its in controlled environment (although could argue baby’s don’t understand).
what was a study measuring separation protest and stranger anxiety?
60 infants- working class in glasgow.
Studied from 5-23 weeks to 1 year.
Measured separation protest and stranger anxiety
Visited every 4 weeks, mothers asked about separation protest in 7 everyday scenarios (mothers tasted on 4 point scale).
Stranger anxiety measured by infants response to interviewer.
what are the 4 stages of attachment?
1-Indiscriminate attachment:
-0-2 months.
-preference to social stimuli.
2-Beginnings of attachment:
-4 months old
-Prefer human company can tell whose familiar and unfamiliar.
- no stranger anxiety
3-Discriminate attachment:
-around 7 months old.
-Preference for one person in particular (primary caregiver) the most stimulating/ comforting
-Seperation anxiety + joy on reunion
-Stranger anxiety
4-Multiple attachments:
-Soon after first attatchment forms
-Attachments based of number of consistent relationships
-Relationships also suffer seperation anxiety
-1/3 had 5+ secondary attachments
what are 4 evaluation points of stages of attchment?
Lacks validity- based off mothers reports, not actual behaviours (social desirability bias/ observer bias)
Lacks population validity- based on working class, can’t be generalised to other classes.
Temporal validity- sample from 1960’s- parental care changed since. (More stay-at-home dads, more working mum’s)
Baulby- attachments not equal, One special bond
Rutter- attachments are equal (produce one overal attachment type.)
what does research show about the role of the father?
fathers are much less likely to be the primary attachment figure (Schaffer and emerson). (Fathers were rarely the first sole object of attachment (3%), but 27% of them were the joint first object), due to fathers spending less time on average with their children.
Ross et al (1975) showed the number of nappies a father changed was positively correlated to the strength of their attachment! This suggests that fathers who do spend more time with their babies have the strongest attachment to their babies.
why could fathers lack of sensitivity be seen as positive?
Certain gender stereotypes might affect men’s behaviour; for example, it is thought to be “feminine” to be sensitive to the needs of others. Evidence has found men are less sensitive to the needs of infants on a variety of scales at every age (Heermann et al 1994). However, there is no gender difference in the physiological response to an infant crying.
why is it difficult to determine the actual role of the father?
some research investigates the role of the father as a primary attachment figure & other research looks at the father as a secondary attachment figure.
why is it thought that the mother plays a more important role?
McCallum (2004) found that children bought up with a single mother or in same sex families do not develop any differently to those brought up in a household with both a mother & father.
what is the Aim and procedure fro strange situations?
A: produce method of assessing quality of attatchment- wether there are individual differences in attatchment.
P: stage 1- child and mother playing in room with toys
Stage 2- stranger enters.
Stage 3- mother leaves.
Stage 4- stranger tries to interact with child.
Stage 5- mother returns and stranger leaves. (Reunion)
Stage 6- mother leaves child alone.
Stage 7- stranger returns.
Stage 8- mother returns (2nd reunion)
-100 middle class American mothers and infants
-Observing stranger anxiety, willingness to explore, seperation anxiety, reunion behaviour
-3 min stages
-one way mirror
what are the 3 types of attachment discovered from SS?
Type A- avoidant (22%) – not concerned by mothers absence/ reunion, doesn’t prefer mum or stranger.
Type B- securely attached (66%)- infant explores room, upset when mum leaves comforted on return, prefers mum.
Type C- Resistant (12%)- explores little
what are 4 evaluation points of SS?
Inter-observer reliability- high; strange situations was recorded so it can be rewatched and judged by others for reliability.
Test-Retest- 78% stayed in same category between ages 1-6 (German study)- change in attatchment usually due to change in family structure.
Ethnocentric- centred on American middle-class women.
Imposed etic- believed it was a universal truth (might not be)
what is the study investigating individual differences in attachment?
A: if there is cross- cultural differences in individual differences in attatchment.
P: used meta- analysis (various studies that used strange situation to assess attatchment type.
-Excluded studies that included P’s with ‘special groups’ and less than 35 infants.
-Examined data from 2000 strange situations from 32 studies in 8 countries
F: secure attachment most common in all countries measured.
Avoidant= second most common in all countries except japan/ Israel (resistant).
-Overall little variations between cultures.
C: global pattern seems to be similar to U.S with secure being the norm
Supports that secure attatchment is important for development.
what are 4 evaluation points of cross-cultural differences in attachment?
-Cross- cultural studies highlight universal nature of attatchment- perhaps attatchment is inherited or due to influence of media.
-15x more variation within cultures than between cultures
(Didn’t consider sun- cultures in a country)
I.e., tel aviv vs kibbutz in Israel.
-Imposed etic- appropriate in America but not elsewhere.
I.e., Germany= more avoidant- encourage independence.
-36 P’s in Chinese study, not representative of Chinese population (1.4 billion)
what is Lorenz’s sstudy into imprinting?
A: investigate imprinting.
P: clutch of gosling eggs divided to 2 groups, group 1 left with biological mother, group 2 placed in incubator- first thing group 2 saw was Lorenzand started following him. Lorenz marked the chicks and put them together; presented with Lorenz and mother.
F: goslings he looked after imprinted on him regardless of mother being present, this group had different mating preferences, chose to mate with similar objects they first imprinted on.
C: supports idea of imprinting.
what is imprinting and the critical period?
Imprinting- pre-programmed readiness to develop a strong bond with their mother.
Critical period- from first few hours till 48 hours after birth were first bond forms.
what are 3 evaluation points of Lorenz’s study?
-Supporting study- Guilin 1966- chicks initially fed by people wearing rubber gloves, chicks imprinted on rubber gloves.
-Animal studies are limited when being generalised to humans
Humans much more incomplete and bonding takes longer.
-Imprinting is flexible/ reversible after spending time with own species.
what is Harlow’s monkey study?
A: wether attachment is based of comfort or feeding
P: baby rhesus monkeys separated from mothers at birth and put in cage with 2 artificial mothers; cage with food and cloth with no food.
8 monkeys studied over 165 days.
4 monkeys had milk on cloth mum and 4 had milk on wire mum.
Time spent with each other measured/ response to mechanical toy measured.
F: all monkeys spent most time on cloth mother regardless of food, clung onto cloth mum when frightened too.
C: attatchment to person who offers comfort not food.
what is 3 evaluation points of Lorenz’s monkey study?
-Can’t generalise to humans, however observations seen in animals are mirrored in humans
(Supported by Schaffer and Emerson)
-2 different heads (lacks internal validity) might prefer one.
ethics:
-Replacement- animals should be replaced with suitable alternatives
-Reduction- no. Of animals should be minimised
-Refinement- care, breeding, accommodation methods refined to reduce pain/ suffering.
-caused lasting emotional harm.
what are the 2 learning theorys of attachment?
classical learning (pavlov)
operant conditioning (skinner)
what is classical conditioning in leaarning attachment?
Before conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus > unconditioned response
Neutral stimulus > no response
After conditioning:
Food + bell > unconditioned response
Conditioned stimulus > conditioned response
Food= pleasure
Person who feeds becomes conditioned stimulus
Mother becomes source of pleasure, with or without food.
Forms attatchment.
what is operant conditioning in learning attachment?
Rewards to increase behaviour
Punishment to decrease behaviour
Behaviour that is rewarded is repeated
Baby fed, reduces hunger.
Reduced hunger= rewarding.
Food= primary reinforcer
Person who gives food= secondary reinforcer.
what are 4 evaluation points of learning theorys of attachment?
-Carried out in lab conditions, remove extraneous variables, can infer cause and effect
-Theory suggests attatchment is based on feeding, contradicts harlows monkey study
-learning theory is too simple- reductionism (reduces complex behaviour of attachment).
-feeding doesn’t come from attatchment (Schaffer and Emerson).
what is Bowlby’s evolutionary theory?
Bowlby’s evolutionary theory- behaviour that increases survival gets passed onto the next generation.
Bowlby’s theory is based on imprinting in birds.
As attachment evolves, it increases survival
Short- term survival- attachment results in desire to maintain proximity, causes separation anxiety.
Ensures infant is provided with food/ protection.
Humans programmed to respond to social releases ensuring survival.
Long- term survival- early attachment influences emotional development via internal working model. template for future relationships. Good IWM= good romantic relationships.
what is the monotropy hypothesis?
one attachment relationship is most important.
Critical period before 2.5 years.
what are 4 evaluation points for monotropy hyp/ evolutionary theory?
-Support for IWM (hazan and shaver) found adult romantic styles relate to childhood attachment styles. (Love quiz- adult relationships + childhood attachment)
Type A- feared intimacy.
Type B- happy relationships.
Type C- obsession and jealousy.
-Methodological issues with love quiz- retrospective data (think back years- memories may be inaccurate). Social desirability bias- personal topics, P’s may change answer to be seen in best light.
P’s volunteers- more likely to be in happy relationships. (Not population representative- can’t be generalised) evidence for early attachments influencing future relationships is flawed.
-Other factors may influence future relationships E.g., previously experiencing cheating, divorce. Theory is deterministic.
-Support for monotropy theory- cross-cultural research (Tronnick et. Al) Efe tribe lived in extended families, children often looked after by other women but slept with mum. After 6 months infant proffered mum as primary attachment.
what is the continuity hypothesis?
Continuity hypothesis- early relationships provide template (internal working model- of what we believe relationships should look like) for future relationships.
Template of attachment style stored in IWM:
(2 attitudes):
-Attitudes of ourselves
-Attitudes about others
what are the characteristics of behaviour for each attachment type?
Type B (secure)
-Caregivers act responsive/ sensitive
-infant trusts caregiver
-Rated love experience as happy/ trusting
-Relationship lasted longer
Type A (avoidant)
-Caregivers distant/ not intimate
-Infants know they are likely to be rejected
-Feared intimacy
-Didn’t need love to be happy
Type C (resistant)
-Caregivers inconsistent in affection
-Infant doesn’t know how caregiver will respond
-Experienced highs and lows
-Attraction/ jealousy
-Worried about abandonment
what is the evaluation point for romantic relationships essay? (love quiz)
Hazan and Shaver (love quiz)
(Flawed evidence)
-biased sample (volunteers)
-social desirability bias
-retrospective data
what is the evaluation for parenting skills essay?
-Mothers brought up in care, interact poorly with own children
-No IWM template
-Harlow’s monkey study backs this up
(Motherless monkeys didn’t cradle own babies)
what is evaluation for childhood friendship essay? (minnesota parent/child study)
-Found continuity
-Securely attached at infancy= higher in social competency in later childhood (more popular/ empathetic)
-Insecurely attached at infancy- supports: lack of attachment in critical period= lack of IWM
(Children who experience neglect/ changes in caregivers develop attatchment disorder (no preferred attachment at 5 years old)
what are 3 general evaluation points?
Deterministic- behaviour determined by biological/ environmental factors.
Continuity hypothesis implies early attachments will determine future relationships.
(Kids with good early attachments will form good relationships)
Socially sensitive- Mother blamed for issues in future relationships
(Behaviour of caregiver will cause future relationship issues.
Reductionism- focuses on nature (behaviour of caregiver causes attachment types, doesn’t consider nurture (temperament hypothesis) argues innate temprement determines how well we form relationships.
what is maternal deprivation hypothesis?
Bowlby- ability to form meaningful relationships in adulthood is dependent on the child forming a warm/ continuous relationship with a mother figure.
Monotropy hypothesis- vital relationship.
what is deprivation- bond disruption?
-When a child has an important attachment, but is then separated from the attachment figure (resulting in bond disruption)
Bowlby argued emotional care as important as physical care.
-Disrupting maternal bond during critical period, has serious affects on emotional development.
-Can cause difficulty forming relationships and causes behavioural disorders
(Damage is permanent)
-If denied maternal care during critical period, results in serious effects.
what is 44 thieves study supporting maternal deprivation hyp?
-44 thieves, 44 non-thieves (5-16 y/o)
14/44 thieves were ‘affectionless psychopaths’ don’t feel guilt for crime.
-Bowlby interviewed children/ families about early life experiences.
-Found 86% (12/44) of the affectionless psychopaths had experienced maternal deprivation.
-The rest (non psychotic thieves and the non- thieves) had strong attachment bonds.
what are 4 evaluation points of maternal deprivation hyp?
-Researcher bias (Bowlby conducted all aspects himself and diagnosed children)
Expectancy effects (only interested in aspects that his theory supports)
-socially sensitive- females took on male jobs during war, government may have used his theory to encourage women to stay at home with children.
-Bowlby considers emotional and physical care (led to policy changes)
-not a critical period, a sensitive period- studies show effects aren’t permanent
what is privation?
failure to form an attachment.
what is one study into privation?
A: investigate impact of institutionalisation.
P: longitudinal study (ongoing through time)
Comparing Romanian orphans adopted by Uk families to 52 UK born adoptees.
Romanian adoptees entered at 1-2 weeks old from poor conditioned orphanages
58 of the orphans adopted before 6 months, 59 adopted between 6-24 months, some after 2 years.
-Some followed up at ages 4,6,11 used diffferent forms of data collection.
F: Age 4- when orphans arrived , showed cognitive deficiencies, malnourishment, most adopted before 6 months caught up with UK born adoptees.
Age 11- differences in IQ persisted, adopted before 6 month IQ was 102, after 6 months IQ was 86
Attachment at age 6- those adopted past 6 months were more likely to have inappropriate contact with strangers.
Uk adoptees- 3.8% disinhibition
Romanian adoptees pre 6 months- 8.9% disinhibition
Romanian adoptees post 6 months- 26.1%
C: for some, effects of living in orphanage and not forming attachment within Bowlby’s critical period could be long term, particularly in late adoptees, although effects can be reduced.
what are 4 evaluation points of privation?
-Triangulates research data, provides rich data, Rutter got to know kids, could cause objectivity loss
-More troubled children may drop out, making a biased sample
-Natural experiment- IV naturally occurring, natural environment, can’t infer cause + effect
Temperament hypothesis- innate personality’s cause attachment type.
-institutionalisation may cause lasting effects, but may not be permanent. Privation is vulnerability factor.
