Attachment

Question 1

What is attachment?

Answer 1

Attachment is a close two-way emotional bond between two individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security

Question 2

Attachment can be recognised when people display what behaviours?

Answer 2

Proximity, Separation distress, Secure-base behaviour, Reciprocity, and International synchrony

Question 3

What is proximity?

Answer 3

People try to stay physically close to those they are attached to

Question 4

What is separation distress?

Answer 4

People are distressed when an attachment figure leaves

Question 5

What is secure-base behaviour?

Answer 5

Explore the environment but return to attachment figure for comfort

Question 6

What is reciprocity?

Answer 6

The two way mutual process where in two people take turns to respond to one another’s signals

Question 7

When does reciprocity happen?

Answer 7

• Mothers and babies spend a lot of time interacting
• Periodic alert phases indicate readiness to interact
• Mothers respond to these around two-thirds of the time (Feldman & Eidelman, 2007)
• From three months: increased frequency with close attention to verbal signals/facial expressions (Feldman, 2007)
• Babies are active, not passive

Question 8

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 8

Mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and so this is a co-ordinated (synchronised) way of interacting with one another