Attachment Flashcards
Define attachment.
The strong emotional bond between an infant and it’s primary caregiver.
Define infant / infancy.
The period of a child’s life before speech begins - usually around 1 - 2 years old.
What is reciprocity?
A non verbal communication technique used by infants.
Action of one (caregiver or infant) causes a response from the other. Response does not have to be the same as the original action. Happens after original action.
Frequency of infants actions allow caregiver to anticipate movements and behaviours and what the infant needs and respond appropriately.
What is interactional synchrony?
A type of non verbal communication.
An imitation of the caregivers action (can be emotions also) e.g. caregiver cries, infant cries).
Happens at same time and response similar to original action and it’s an imitation.
What 4 behaviours does an infant show when they are securely attached to their caregiver?
1) Joy on reunion
2) Separation anxiety
3) General orientation of behaviour towards caregiver.
3) Desire to have a close proximity with caregiver
What was the aim of Meltzoff and Moores study into interactional synchrony?
To understand interactional synchrony in infants.
What was the procedure of Meltzoff and Moores study?
Used infants that were 2-3 weeks old.
An adult model displayed one of four stimuli - 3 different facial expressions or a hand gesture where fingers moved in a sequence.
Dummy placed in infants mouth during initial display to prevent a response.
Removed after and infants response recorded on video.
Watched by independent observers (real time, slow motion or frame by frame). Scored twice, had to note instances of head or tongue movements.
Found inter observer reliability of +0.94.
Findings of Meltzoff and Moores study?
Infants as young as 2 / 3 weeks old displayed interactional synchrony. They imitated specific hand or facial gestures.
Supporting evidence (A03) for Meltzoff and Moore, study on interactional synchrony?
Meltzoff and Moore demonstrated the same synchrony with infants only 3 days old. As this behaviour was being displayed in infants so you, it suggests imitation behaviour is innate and not learned.
Supporting evidence (A03) for Meltzoff and Moores study in interactional synchrony?
HINT: is imitation intentional?
Some suggest imitation isn’t intentional but there is evidence that there is.
2 psychologists conducted a study where 2 month old infants interacted via a video monitor with their mother in real time (con 1). In the next part the video monitor played a tape of the mother so she was not responding to the infants facial and bodily gestures. These infants became distressed as they tried to attract their mothers interest but failed.
Shows infant is actively trying to get response instead of displaying one that has been rewarded. Shows infant is an active and intentional partner.
Supporting evidence for Meltzoff and Moores study into interactional synchrony?
HINT: individual differences?
There are individual differences in IS.
More strongly attached infant caregiver pairs show greater IS.
Infants who demonstrate a lot of imitation from birth have better relationships at 3 months.
Suggests relationship between synchrony and strength of attachment - has important implications for parenting.
Criticism of Meltzoff and Moores study into IS?
HINT: what are the problems with testing infant behaviour?
Issues with validity.
Infants mouths are in fairly constant motion and the expressions which were tested occur frequently (tongue sticking out, yawning etc).
So difficult to distinguish between general activity and imitated behaviours.
To overcome this M&M asked independent observers to judge the infants behaviour from the video. The observers had no idea what behaviours were being imitated and still found inter observer reliability of 0.92 - increasing validity of data.
Criticism of Meltzoff and Moores study into IS?
HINT: replicate?
Other studies have dailies to relocate the findings of M&MS original study.
M&M said that the research failed because it was less carefully controlled.
What was the aim of Schaffer and Emersons study into the development of attachment?
To understand the development of attachments.
What was the procedure of Schaffer and Emersons study?
60 infants from working class homes in Glasgow, the infants ranged from 5/23 weeks and were studied till age 1.
Mothers visited every 4 weeks, mothers had to report infants response to 7 everyday situations e.g. being left in a room alone.
Had to describe intensity of any protest on a four point scale.
Mother asked to state who protest was directed at.
Infants respond to interviewer measured at each visit to assess stranger anxiety.
Describe stage 1 in the findings of attachment.
What is the stage called?
Indiscriminate attachment.
Birth to 2 months old infants produce similar response to all objects animate or inanimate. Towards the end they show a greater preference for social stimuli such as a smiling face and tend to be more content when they’re with people.
Reciprocity and IS are important in establishing infants relationships with others at this point.
Describe stage 2 of the stages of attachment.
What’s the stage called?
The beginnings of attachment.
Around the age of 4 months infants become more social. Prefer human company to inanimate objects. Can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces but still easily comforted by anyone. Display general sociability
Describe stage 3 of the findings of attachment.
What’s it called?
Discriminate attachment.
Seven months old infants said to have formed specific attachment to one person. They show joy on reunion with this person, are easily comforted by them and show separation anxiety with them. They also begin to show stranger anxiety.
Here S&E found the primary attachments were formed with the person who was quick, sensitive and responsive to the infants needs, not necessarily who they spend the most time with.
Stage 3, findings of attachment.
What percentage of children made the first specific attachment to only their mother?
65%
What percentage of children made the first specific attachment to only their father?
3%
What percentage of children made their mothers the first joint object of attachment?
30%
What percentage of children made their father the first joint object of attachment?
27%
Describe stage 4.
What’s it called?
Multiple attachments.
After first attachment formed infants forms multiple attachments depending on how many consistent relationships each of them has.
These are called secondary attachments and the infant displays separation anxiety with these also.
1 month of becoming attached : 29% had MA.
6 months : 78%.
1 year : all of them. 1/3 had formed 5 or 6.
A03 of S&E development of attachment.
Criticism on unreliable data?
Based on mothers reports. Some mothers may have been less sensitive to their infants protests and less likely to report them. Others may give bis reports due to social desirability. Reduces internal validity.
A03 of S&E development of attachment.
Criticism of temporal validity?
Study carried out in 1960s when parental care was very different. More women go to work today and children are cared for outside the home or by their father - the number of dads who stay at home to care for their child has quadrupled over the last 25 years. If study was repeated today, findings likely to be different.
A03 of S&E development of attachment.
Criticism of biased / cultural sample?
Working class sample - may not generalise to other social classes.
Individualistic sample (from Britain), may not generalise to collectivist societies.
A03 of S&E development of attachment.
Criticism of are multiple attachments equivalent?
Central argument. Bowlbys view was that an infant forms one special emotional relationship (monotropy hypothesis). He said secondary attachments are important for different reasons e.g. fathers offer a different kind of care and siblings help infants learn how to negotiate with peers.
Rutter believed all attachments were equivalent.
Why is the father rarely attachment figure?
Biological and social factors.
May not be psychologically equipped to form an intense attachment as they lack the emotional sensitivity women offer.
Biological - females have the hormone oestrogen which underlies caring behaviour so they’re more orientated to interpersonal goals than men.
Social - sex stereotypes that affect male behaviour. It is thought to be a feminine feature to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Why did S&E believe fathers were unlikely to be the primary attachment figure?
What did lamb counter argue?
S&E believed it was because fathers spend less time on average with their infants.
Lamb said studies have shown little relationship between father accessibility and infant father attachment.
AO3 of role or the father.
HINT: Frodi
Evidence men are less sensitive to infant cues that mothers.
But, Frodi found no physiological difference in the response of men and women when shown video tapes of infants crying.
A03 of role of the father.
HINT: single parent families?
Men do form secure attachments e.g. in single parent families. Research has shown in two parent families where the father is the primary caregiver, both parents show the role of primary attachment figure.
Why is the father an important secondary attachment figure?
Fathers are more playful, physically active and better at providing challenging situations for their children. A father is an exciting playmate whereas mothers are more conventional and tend to read stories etc.
A03 of father as a secondary attachment figure.
Why is lack of sensitivity good in fathers?
If fosters problem solving by making greater commutative and cognitive demands on children
Aim of the strange situation?
To identify types of attachment in children.
Procedure of the strange situation?
100 middle class American infants and mothers 12-18 months old entered a room with comfy furniture and attractive toys. Controlled observation with 7 three min episodes.
Key behaviours recorded in the SS?
Separation anxiety
Infants willingness to explore
Stranger anxiety
Reunion behaviour
Findings of SS
TYPE A
Avoidant - 22%
Infants not concerned by mothers absence and avoids contact with her on return.
Does not prefer mother or stranger.
Findings of SS
TYPE B
Secure 66%
Infant explores room when mother is present. Separation anxiety and joy on reunion. Prefers mother to stranger.
Findings of SS
TYPE C
Resistant 12%
Infant explores very little when mother is present. Wary of stranger. Upset when mother leaves, angry when she returns - seeks and rejected contact
Conclusion of SS?
There are individual differences in attachment but most US children are securely attached.
Association between mothers behaviour and attachment type suggesting mothers behaviour determines attachment type.
Why did S&E believe fathers were unlikely to be the primary attachment figure?
What did lamb counter argue?
S&E believed it was because fathers spend less time on average with their infants.
Lamb said studies have shown little relationship between father accessibility and infant father attachment.
AO3 of role or the father.
HINT: Frodi
Evidence men are less sensitive to infant cues that mothers.
But, Frodi found no physiological difference in the response of men and women when shown video tapes of infants crying.
A03 of role of the father.
HINT: single parent families?
Men do form secure attachments e.g. in single parent families. Research has shown in two parent families where the father is the primary caregiver, both parents show the role of primary attachment figure.
Why is the father an important secondary attachment figure?
Fathers are more playful, physically active and better at providing challenging situations for their children. A father is an exciting playmate whereas mothers are more conventional and tend to read stories etc.
A03 of father as a secondary attachment figure.
Why is lack of sensitivity good in fathers?
If fosters problem solving by making greater commutative and cognitive demands on children
Aim of the strange situation?
To identify types of attachment in children.
Procedure of the strange situation?
100 middle class American infants and mothers 12-18 months old entered a room with comfy furniture and attractive toys. Controlled observation with 7 three min episodes.
Key behaviours recorded in the SS?
Separation anxiety
Infants willingness to explore
Stranger anxiety
Reunion behaviour
Findings of SS
TYPE A
Avoidant - 22%
Infants not concerned by mothers absence and avoids contact with her on return.
Does not prefer mother or stranger.
Findings of SS
TYPE B
Secure 66%
Infant explores room when mother is present. Separation anxiety and joy on reunion. Prefers mother to stranger.
