Attachment Flashcards
What is attachment
A strong emotional + reciprocal bond between two people that endure over time
Serves function of protecting an infant
What is a caregiver
A person that provides care for a child such as a parent or grandparent sibling and so on
What is reciprocity
Responding to an action of another similar action
The actions of one partner elicit a response from other partners
Responses are not necessarily as similar as interactional synchrony
What is interactional synchrony
Where two people interact + tend to mirror the other
Doing it in terms of facial + body movements
Includes imitating emotions as well as behaviours
What is multiple attachment
Having more than one attachment figure
What is primary attachment
Person who has formed the closest bond with a child
Demonstrated by an intensity of a relationship
What is separation anxiety
They distress shown by an infant when separated from his/her caregiver
What is stranger anxiety
Distress shown by an infant when approached or picked up by someone who is unfamiliar
What are caregiver infant interactions
Infancy is the period of a child’s life before speech begins
Key interactions between caregiver + infant are non verbal communication
The manner in which they respond to each other determines the formation of attachment
More sensitive each is to other signals deeper relationships
What is reciprocity
Responding to action of another with similar action
Where actions of one partner elicit a response from other partners
What is Interactional synchrony
Two people interact tend to mirror what other is doing in terms of facial + body movements
What was meltzoff and moores producer
A controlled observation
2-3 week old infants
Displaying facial/hand gestures
Recorded infant response
Independent observers
Each observer measured tape twice
All interactions of infant + hand gestures were recorded
Observed behavioural categories
What are the results of meltzoff + moores study
Association between infant behaviour and adult that model
High inter observer + intra observer reliability (0.92)
What was the conclusion of meltzoff and moores study
It is believed that interactional synchrony is important for development of parent infant attachment
What was a strength of meltzoff + moores study
High internal validity/reliability
No investigator effect
No demand characteristics
High ecological validity
What did Schaffer + Emerson producer
Researched 60 infants in the working class area of Glasgow
Used a natural observation
They visited them monthly for first 12 months and revisited after 18 months
They measured attachment:
Stranger anxiety - when the non primary care giver the inspection interacted with the baby
Separation Anxiety - when the primary care giver was not around the baby
(Assessed by mother)
What’s were the findings of Schaffer + Emerson find
There are 4 stages of attachment
Primary attachment with a person who I interacted with + was most sensitive to infant (65% to the mother + only 3% farther)
What are the 4 stages of development/ attachment
Asocial - 0 to 2 moths
Indiscriminate - 2 to 7 months
Discriminate - 7 to 10
Multiple attachments - 10 onwards
When is the asocial stage and what happens with it
0-2 months
Infant produces similar responses to all objects animate or inanimate
During this time reciprocity + interactional synchrony play a role establishing infants relationship with each other
What happens in the indiscriminate stage and when does it happen
2-7 months
infants prefer human company over inanimate objects
Can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people (smiling more at some people)
Do not show fear of strangers (stranger anxiety)
What happens in the discriminate stage and when is it
7-10 months
Formed a specific attachment to one person (primary attachment figure)
Separation anxiety + proximity seeking to one particular person + fear of strangers
What happens in the multiple attachment stage
10-onwards
After first attachment they start to develop more attachment with others like grand parents + siblings
What was the conclusion of Schaffer + Emerson’s study
Quality (responsiveness play + social interaction) matters most in attachment formation
What are weakness of Schaffer + Emerson’s study
Lack of population validity
Social desirability
What is a strength of Schaffer + Emerson’s study
High ecological validity
What did grossman say
Quality of attachment to farther is not related to future development of attachment but fathers ( as secondary caregiver) distinct role in a child’s development involving play + stimulation
What did field say
Farther who are primary caregivers + more responsive secondary caregiver suggesting farther can be more focused on emotional development
What is imprinting
An innate readiness to develop a strong bond with mother
Which takes place during a specific development probably the first few hours after brith/hatching
Doesn’t happen at this time will not happen at all
What is a learning theory
A group of explanations (C + O conditioning) it explains behaviour in terms of learning rather than any inborn tendencies or higher order thinking
What is classical conditioning
Learn through association
Neutral stimulus is consistently paired with unconditioned stimulus
Eventually takes on the properties of this stimulus
Is able to produced a conditioned response
What is operant conditioning
Learning through reinforcement
What is social learning theory
Learn through observing others + imitating behaviours that are rewarded
What is a continuity hypothesis
Idea that emotionally secure infants go on to be emotionally secure
Trusting + socially confident
What is a critical period
A biological determinants period of time during which certain characteristics can develop
Outside of this time window such development will not be possible
What is an internal working model
A mental model of the world which enables individuals to predict + control their environment
In the case of attachment the model relates to a persons expectations about relationships
What is monotropy (monotropic)
The idea that one relationship that the infants has with their primary attachment figure is of special significance in emotional development
What is are social releases
A social behaviour or characteristic that elicits caregiving + leads to attachment
What was Lorenz procedure
12 gosling eggs in two groups
6 left with natural mother (control group)
6 placed in incubator ( experimental group)
Incubator eggs hatched
First moving object was Lorenz
Marked them placed with mother
What were the results of Lorenz study
Incubator group followed Lorenz everywhere
The control group followed mother
Imprinting
Lorenz identified a critical period (first few hours)
Imprinting must happen or it never will procedure is long lasting irreversible
Effect on later mate preferences social imprinting ( mate with the same kind of object upon there imprinting)
What was Harlow procedure
Infant monkeys record in isolation
Two surrogate mothers
One made of wire who had a feeding bottle + one made of cloth who didn’t
Measured time spent with each mother
22/24 with comfort mother
Assessed attachment by sending in a loud mechanical toy to see which mother the monkey went to
What was Harlow procedure
Infant monkeys record in isolation
Two surrogate mothers
One made of wire who had a feeding bottle + one made of cloth who didn’t
Measured time spent with each mother
22/24 with comfort mother
Assessed attachment by sending in a loud mechanical toy to see which mother the monkey went to
What were Harlow results
Found the monkey used the soft mother as their base + only wire mother to bear fed
Went to soft mother when frightened infants do not develop attachment to the one who feeds them
It also caused long lasting permanent effects on monkeys develop abnormally
What are the explanation for behaviour
Learning theory and mono-tropic theory
What is the learning theory based on
It assumes attachment is based on food provisions
What explanations is used in the learning theory
Classical and operant conditioning
What are the types of conditioning used in the learning theory
Classical conditioning learning by association( of neutral stimulus with unconditioned stimulus)
Operant learning by reinforcement
Positive reinforcement - behaviour results in addition of a stimulus
Negative reinforcement - behaviour results in the removal of a stimulus
How is classical conditioning used in the learning process
Infant learns to associate food with mother/primary caregiver
Mother/caregiver acquires comforting properties by association
How is operant conditioning used in infant attachment
Infant learns to cry
Smiling brings positive response from mother/primary caregiver (P reinforcement)
Is primary reinforcement + mother/primary reinforcer + mother/primary caregiver is secondary reinforcer
What evidence supports the learning theory
Schaffer + Emerson
Harlows monkeys
How do Schaffer + Emerson’s study support or deny the learning theory
Found babies didn’t have strong attachment with mother
Many were most attached to those who interacted with them the most
Were interacted with them the most
Were most responsive to them
How does Harlows monkey support or deny the learning theory
Monkeys attached to cloth mother rather then feeding mother
More time with them + went to when feared)
Suggests comfort more important then food attachment
What is another explanation for attachment
Bowlby monotropic theory
What was in bowblys mono tropic theory
A species is a population of organisms that interbreed + had fertile offspring
Living organisms have descended with modifications from species that lived before them
What is Monotropy in attachment
Bowlby believed that all children form a number (hierarchy) of attachments but one of these is of significant importance
Bowlby believed that the primary attachment was to the person who responds most sensitively to the social releaser but it should be mother
What is adaptive and innate in attachment
Bowbly believes children have an inbuilt drive to become attached
It has long term benefits (similar to imprinting)
This drive ensures That infants stay close to the caregiver for food + protection
Behaviours increase chances of survival + reproduction
What is a critical period in attachment
Attachment is innate there is likely to be a crucial period of time for attachment to form
Bowlby believed this between 3-6 months
What is a socail realisers in attachment
Characteristics that elicit care giving
Smiling or crying
What is an internal working in attachment
A group of concepts a child learns in regards to what expect from a relationship
A developed in early childhood + is created by attacgemnt the child has
This could be a relationship of trust or one of uncertainty
What is continuity in attachment
This is the idea that there is a link between early attachments
Later emotional behaviour
Those who have a secure attachment as a child will continue to be socially + emotionally competent
What was the procedure for hazan + shaver experiment
Printed a love quiz in local newspaper
Rocky Mountain news + readers were asked to send in their responses
Hazan + shaver analysed the first 620 replies sent from 14 to 82
Classified the respondents according to Mary ainsworth
Infant attachment types of secure anxious
resistant
anxious-avoidant
Looking for corresponding adult love styles
What were the 2 measurements of attachment
Simple adjective checklist of childhood relationships with parents
Parents relationship with each other
Love experience questionnaire assessed individuals beliefs about romantic love
Wether It last forever wether it could be found easily
Trust there was in a romantic relationship
What were results in Hazan + shaver study
Found a strikingly high correlation between infant attachment types
The adult romantic love styles
What was the conclusion of Hazan + shaver
They concluded that there was evidence to support the concept of internal working model having life-long effect
What was a strength of the love quiz
High ecological validity
What was a weakness of the love quiz
Social desirability
What evidence was there to support the evolutionary theory
Schaffer + Emerson
Tronick et al
Lorenz
How did Schaffer and Emerson study show supporting evidence for the evolutionary theory
Some infants made multiple attachments at the same time
Rejects Monotropy
How did Tronick et al show supporting evidence for the evolutionary theory
Studied an infant in a tribe in Zairea who was looked after and brestfead by other women but showed attachment to biological mother supports Monotropy
How did Lorenz research support they evolutionary theory
Found goslings imprint on first moving object they saw supports view attachment
What is secure attachment
A strong and connected attachment of an infant to his or her caregiver which develops as a result of sensitive responding by the caregiver to the infants needs
Securely attached infants are comfortable with social interaction and intimacy
Securely attachment is related to healthy subsequent cognitive and emotional development
What is insecure-avoidant
A type of attachment which describes infants who tend to avoid social interaction and intimacy with others
What is insecure resistant
A type of attachment which describes those infants who both seek and reject intimacy and social interaction
What is insecure disorganised
An attachment type characterised by a lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour
What is meta analysis
A procedure in which researchers draw together and analyse the results of many different studies that have used a similar procedure
What is separation anxiety
The unease the infant shows when the caregiver leaves
What is stranger anxiety
Infants response in the presence of a stranger
What is a collectivist culture
Those where there is a high degree of interdependence between people
Individualist culture
Those where personal independence and achievement are valued
What did the strange situation asses
The nature of attachment between infant and mother
What was the aim of the strange situation
To see how infants between age 9 to 18 months behave under mild stress
What did Ainsworth do
Combined data from several studies to make a total of 106 middle class infants
What was the strange situations procedure
Controlled observation
Research room was 9x9 foot marked off into 16 squares(help record infants movement)
The procedure consists of seven episodes
Data is recorded every 15 seconds by a group of observers through a two way mirror using behavioural categories
The observer scores behaviour for intensity on a scale 1 to 7
What are the five basis of behaviour is the strange situation
Proximity seeking
Exploration and secure base
Stranger anxiety
Separation anxiety
Reunion behaviour
What is proximity seeking in the five basis of behaviour
How close to the caregiver the child stays
What is exploration and secure basis of five behaviours
How infant explores and uses the parent as a base to explore from
What is stranger anxiety in the basis of five behaviours
The infant response to a stranger
What is separation anxiety in the basis of five behaviours
The infants response to separation from the caregiver
What is reunion behaviour in the basis of five behaviours
How the infant reacts upon reunion with caregiver
What did the strange situation procedure involve
Seven episodes of 3 minutes
What are the seven episodes of the strange situation
Child and caregiver enter room
The baby is encouraged to explore
A stranger comes in talks to caregiver and approaches the baby
The caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together
The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves
The caregiver leaves baby alone
Stranger returns
The caregiver returns and is returned with the baby
What is asses when the baby is encouraged to explore
Tests exploration an secure base
What is assed when a stranger comes in and talks to the caregiver and approaches the baby
Tests stranger anxiety
What is assessed when the caregiver leaves the baby and the stranger together
Tests stranger and separation anxiety
What is assesed when the caregiver returns and the stranger leaves
Reunion behaviour and exploration
What is assessed when the caregiver leaves the baby alone
Separation anxiety
What is assessed when the stranger returns
Stranger anxiety
What is assessed when the caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby
Tests reunion behaviour
What stages asses exploration and secure base
When the baby is encouraged to explore
When the caregiver returns and stranger leaves
What stages asses stranger anxiety
A stranger comes in talks to the caregiver and approaches the baby
The caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together
The stranger returns
What stages asses separation anxiety
The caregiver leaves the baby and stranger together
The caregiver leaves baby alone
What stages asses the reunion behaviour
The caregiver returns and stranger leaves
The caregiver returns and is reunited with the baby
How many types of attachment did Ainsworth find
Three different types of attachment
What are the 3 types of attachment
Secure (Type B)
Insecure avoidant (Type A)
Insecure resistant/ambivalent (Type C)
What percent of people have secure(Type B) attachment
60-75%
What is secure attachment know as
Type B
What type of proximity seeking does a secure (Type B) attachment have
Moderate proximity seeking behaviour
What type of exploration/secure base do secure(Type B) attachment have
Moderate willingness to explore but use mother as a secure base
What type of stranger anxiety does a secure (Type B) attachment have
Moderate stranger anxiety
What type of separation anxiety does a secure(type B) attachment have
Moderate separation anxiety
What reunion behaviour does a secure(Type B) attachment have
Easily comforted on reunion
What percentage of people have a insecure avoidant(Type A)
20-25%
What is insecure avoidant attachment also know as
Type A
What type of proximity seeking does a Insecure avoidant(Type A) attachment have
Low proximity seeking behaviour
What type exploration/secure base does a Insecure avoidant(Type A) attachment have
High willingness to explore but don’t use mother as secure base
What type of stranger anxiety does a Insecure avoidant (type A) attachment have
Low stranger anxiety
What type of separation anxiety does a Insecure avoidant(Type A) attachment have
Low separation anxiety
What type of reunion does a Insecure avoidant(Type A) attachment have
Avoid contract on reunion
What type of attachment does Insecure resistant/ambivalent
Type C
What percentage of people have a Insecure resistant/ambivalent type C attachment
3%
What type of proximity seeking does a Insecure resistant/Ambivalent(Type C) attachment have
High proximity seeking
What type of exploration/secure base does a Insecure resistant/ambivalent (Type C) attachment have
Low willingness to explore
What type of stranger anxiety does a Insecure ambivalent/resistant(Type C) attachment have
High stranger anxiety
What type of separation anxiety does a Insecure ambivalent/resistant (Type C) attachment have
High separation anxiety
What type of reunion behaviour does a Insecure resistant/ambivalent(Type C) attachment have
Both seek and reject caregiver on reunion and so don’t/cant be calmed down
What are the strengths of the strange situation
Internal validity
External validity
Reliability
Ethical issues
What are weakness of the strange situation
Internal validity
External validity
Ethical issues
Why is internal validity a strength of the strange situation
Some control of variables
Why is internal validity a weakness of the strange situation
Low only measures attachment to one person
(Not necessarily attachment type of child)
Why is external validity a strength of the strange situation
Replicable real life
No demand characteristics
Why is external validity a weakness of the strange situation
Low artificial setting/situation
Why is reliability a strength of the strange situation
Can be repeated
Inter + intra reliability
0.94 agreement between observers
Why are no ethical issues a strength of the strange situation
Stress on child (no greater than everyday life)
Why are ethical issues a weakness of the strange situation
Stress on child
What is a type D attachment
A mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours
What were the aims of ijzendoorn and kroonemnbergs cross-cultural differences in attachments
Investigate any pattern in attachment type across 8 countries/cultures
Find weather there are intra -ccs;rural variations as well as inter cultural differences
Evaluate similarities and difference in the profile of attachment types
What was ijzendoorn and kroonenberg procedure
Carried out a meta analysis to find out about attachment types in different cultures
Analysed 32 different studies carried out in 8 countries using the strange situation
They looked at differences between and within cultures
What were the findings of ijzendoorn and kroonenberg study
Secure attachment (type B) were most common in all cultures
Avoidant attachment (type A) were more comman in individualist e.g Germany
Resistant attachment (type C) were more common in collectivist cultures
There was a one and a half time greater variation within cultures then between cultures
What did Grossman and Grossman do/find
German infants tended to be classified as insecurely attached may be due to child rearing practices
As German culture involves keeping some interpersonal distance between parent and child
What did Takahashi find
Japanese infants showed no evidence of insecure avoidant attachment
High rates of insecure resistant (32%)
May be due to the fact Japanese infants rarely experience separation from mothers
What is a indigenous psychologist
A indigenous psychologist are those from the same cultural background as the participants
