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Attachment Flashcards

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1
Q

Definition of attachment by Schaffer.

A

A close emotional relationship between two people, involving mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity.

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2
Q

Define reciprocity + examples.

A

Interactions between the infant and caregiver, involving mutual responses to one another.
E.g. Interactions flow between caregiver and infant.
- Reciprocal interactions
- Communication signals which elicit responses.

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3
Q

Define Interactional Synchrony + examples.

A

Interactions between care giver and infant that are synchronised so they reflect each other.
E.g. Responding in time to sustain communication
And mirroring the action, such as smiling or responding in a co ordination way.

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4
Q

Evidence of Reciprocity.

A

Tronick et al (1975) - The Still Face experiment
After 3 minutes of trying to interact with a non-responsive mother the infants grew wary.
This shows how reciprocity is an important factor.

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5
Q

Evidence of Interactional Synchrony.

A

Meltzoff & Moore (1997) - 18 infants aged 12-27 days old. Investigated whether they could imitate facial/manual gestures. They found they could from 12 days suggesting interaction synchrony is innate.

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6
Q

What was Schaffer and Emersons study?

A
  • In 1964 a longitudinal study that took place in Scotland
  • It followed he developments of attachments in 60 infants using naturalistic observations.
  • A total of 13 observations took place.
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7
Q

How were attachments measured in Schaffer and Emersons study?

A

1) Levels of Separation protests - mothers were asked to describe the intensity of the infants protests using a 4 point likert scale when they were left in 7 everyday situations.
2) Stranger anxiety - measured by assessing infants response to the interviewer on visits.

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8
Q

Results + Conclusion of Schaffer and Emersons study.

A
  • 1/2 of infants showed first specfic attachment between 6-8 months. Stranger anxiety began about 1 month later
  • 39% had a primary attachment to someone other than who fed, bathed and changed them.
  • At 7 months 29% had formed several attachments, with 10% having 5 attachment figures.
  • At 10 months 50% had more than one AF and by 18 months 87% had.

Conclusion - By 6-8 months most infants have formed attachments and others rapidly follow.

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9
Q

Methodological issues with Schaffer and Emersons study.

A

G - it’s ethnocentric, only done in Scotland. May be affected by Social Norms e.g. Maternity Leave and only one parent present a lot. So lacks Temporal Validity and representativness.
V - Compromised internal validity as the caregiver may seeks social desirability.

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10
Q

Name and Describe the 4 Stages of Attachment as suggested by Schaffer and Emerson.

A

1) ASOCIAL STAGE 0-5 WEEKS - Produce similar responses to objects and people, No preference for specific people, but towards end show preference for social stimuli e.g. smiling face.
2) INDISCRIMINATE STAGE 6 WKS-7 MONTHS - More social, tell people apart, prefer human company. Distinguish familiar and unfamiliar people, relatively comforted by anyone, no stranger anxiety.
3) SPECIFIC STAGE - 7-11 MONTHS - Show separation and stranger anxiety. Strong attachments and preference to individuals. Good subsequent attachments made from 9 months.
4) MULTIPLE ATTACHMENTS 11 MONTHS ON - Makes several attachments to important people e.g. parents and siblings. Show separation anxiety in secondary attachments.

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11
Q

Strengths of Schaffer and Emersons stages of attachment. (2)

A

1) Their 1964 study provides support for stages of attachment - most of 60 infants had formed specific attachments between 6-8 months. 87% had several by 7 months. Showing there is some credibility.
2) Can be practically applied to society and used as 1 measure of infant behaviour. Help early identification of abnormal development, leading to early diagnostic + intervention can benefit families.

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12
Q

Weaknesses of Schaffer and Emersons Stages of Attachment. (2)

A

1) There are methodological problems with S+E study such as that it is ethnocentric as it only took place in Scotland and it lacks temporal validity as it took place in 1964. It lacks represntativness.
2) The theory can be CULTURALLY SPECIFIC and limited to individualistic concepts. Based on research in individualistic cultures where immediate family set ups are the norm. Development of attachment in collectivist cultures may not reflect this. Meaning S+E’s study may not describe attachment in a universal way.

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13
Q

Describe Schaffer and Emersons evidence for multiple attachments.

A
  • Infants form multiple attachments by 10-11 months.
  • By 18 months only 13% had single attachments.
  • 31% had 5 or more attachments.
  • Suggesting infants are capable of forming multiple attachments by the extent to which these are equal is disputed.
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14
Q

How have the role of the father changed and what factors affect this?

A
  • Traditionally father played a minor role in parenting, mothers stayed and home and fathers worked. Single parent families or a mother working was rare.
  • Today Mothers are more likely to work (5.3 million in 2013)
  • Stay at home fathers are increasing, with nearly 10% of those caring for children being male + 9% of single parents being male.
  • There are mediating factors that relate to the type of attachments formed with fathers, these being INTERACTION (how father engages with child), ACCESSIBILITY (how physically and emotionally accessible he is) and RESPONSIBILITY ( what care taking tasks he takes on)
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15
Q

Evidence into the role of fathers in attachment and sensitivity.

A

HARDY (1997) Found father less able to detect low levels of infant distress than mothers, suggesting less suitable primary caregiver.
LAMB (1987) Fathers that became main caregiver quickly developed sensitivity to children needs. Suggesting sensitivity is not biologically limit to women.

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16
Q

Evidence into the role of fathers in attachment and biological differences.

A

FRODI ET AL (1978) Showed video tapes of babies crying and found no difference in the physiological responses of men and women. So biological factors may not explain the gender differences in attachment relationships between parents and infants.

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17
Q

Evidence into the role of fathers in attachment and different roles.

A

GEIGER ( 1996) Found fathers play interactions were more exciting and pleasurable whereas mothers are more nurturing and affectionate. Suggesting they have different roles that are complementary and both important.

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18
Q

Strengths of the research into the Role of Father. (2)

A

1) There is research that supports the idea that fathers play a complimentary role to mothers - Geiger (1996) found that fathers interactions are more exciting. The findings support the importance of he role of the father as it suggests that fathers play different roles.
2) The findings of research can be seen to have practical applications. They recognise the importance of fathers in parenting and gives support to legal changes allowing them to be more presence in their lives. In UK Fathers can take up to 9 months paternity leave and are allowed the same parental rights. This means it may have befitted families.

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19
Q

Weaknesses of the research into the Role of the Father. (2)

A

1) Conclusions of research can often be socially sensitive e.g. Geiger research suggests it’s important for children to have a mother and father to fully develop. It suggests that there is an ideal type of family, although modern societies and norms have led to many different types of families. This means researchers must be careful drawing conclusions, and not to overly generalise.
2) The research can be considered ethnocentric, as most research has taken place in individualistic cultures where stereotypical gender roles in parenting may differ from roles in collectivist cultures. So the research may not be applicable to other cultures

20
Q

What was the aim of Lorenz’s study?

A

Lorenz (1935) wanted to investigate the mechanism of imprinting - the process by which young animals follow and form attachments to the first large moving object they meet.

21
Q

What was the aim of Harlow’s study?

A

Harlow (1958) wanted to investigate whether attachments were primarily formed though food (as explained by the learning theory) or by attachment.

22
Q

What was Lorenz’s procedure in his study?

A
  • He took a large clutch of goose eggs and kept them until they were about to hatch.
  • 1/2 were placed with goose mother and 1/2 were kept with Lorenz. When they hatched Lorenz imitated a quacking noise.
  • He marked all the ducklings so he could tell if they were naturally hatched or incubated.
  • To check the ducklings had properly imprinted he mixed them up under an upturned box, then let the free and observed their behaviour.
23
Q

What was Harlow’s procedure in his study?

A
  • 16 monkeys were separated from their mother after birth and were put into cages with access to two surrogate mothers.
  • One surrogate mother made of wire and one of soft terry towling cloth - they were kept in the cage for 165 days.
    The monkey’s were in 1 of 4 conditions.
    1) Wire monkey with milk + cloth monkey no milk.
    2) Wire monkey no milk + cloth monkey with milk.
    3) Only wire monkey with milk.
    4) Only cloth monkey with milk.
  • Amount of time spent with each mother + feeding recorded.
  • Monkey’s frightened with loud bangs to test preference in times of stress.
  • Monkey’s put in large cages to test exploration.
24
Q

What were Lorenz’s findings?

A
  • After hatching the natural goslings followed mother while incubated followed Lorenz.
  • When released from box NH followed mother and incubated followed Lorenz.
  • The bonds proved irreversible, goslings would only follow imprint.
  • Critical period for imprinting 4-24 hours after hatching.
  • Goslings that imprinted on humans would try to mate with humans as adults.
25
Q

What were Harlow’s findings?

A
  • Preferred Cloth mother when given a choice, even when wire produced milk.
  • Infants would only go to wire mother when hungry.
  • Monkey’s with only wire mother had diarrhoea, a sign of stress.
  • When frightened monkey’s went to cloth mother when available.
  • In large cage, monkey’s with cloth mother would explore more and would return more frequently.
26
Q

What conclusions did Lorenz draw from his study?

A
  • The fact that imprinting is irreversible suggests that it is innate, is is biologically triggered.
  • The concept of the critical period for attachment has been carried over to human studies
  • Mating with humans suggests it is an important factor in later relationships.
27
Q

What Conclusions did Harlow draw from his study?

A
  • It supports the evolutionary theory of attachments, it is sensitive in the response and security of the care giver.
  • For a monkey to develop normally they must have some interactions with an object they can cling to in the first moments of life.
28
Q

Weaknesses of Lorenz’s study? (2)

A

1) GENERALISABILTY - Evolutionary discontinuity, to many qualitative differences between humans and geese e.g. distinct language system (humans) and wings (geese) does not represent human attachments.
2) ETHICAL ISSUES - Long term welfare of geese must be considered, deprived of natural attachment figure, aren’t taught to find food or recognise an alarm call.

29
Q

Strengths of Lorenz’s study. (3)

A

1) RELIABILITY - Includes standardised procedures e.g. splitting eggs into two groups. Which allows results to be checked for consistency.
2) APPLICATIONS - Can be tentatively applied to human attachments, highlights early infancy importance in life. Hence orphanages may put funding into early infancy.
3) INTERNAL VALIDITY - Exercise control over extraneous variables e.g. seeing mother. Means we can create cause and effect relationships.
ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY - Some (1/2) of goslings completed natural behaviours e.g. being born under mother. Means findings have some levels of credibility.

30
Q

Strengths of Harlow’s study. (4)

A

1) GENERALISABILITY - Has evolutionary continuity, monkeys and humans share a lot of DNA and have similar behaviours, therefore it’s representative of human behaviours.
2) RELIABILITY - Study has standardised procedures e.g. two surrogate mothers. They are clear and easy to replicate, meaning the consistency of results can be checked.
3) APPLICATIONS - Lead to help in improving human relationships as well, explains that attachments form on primarily comfort rather than learning. Thus improve focus on attachments in children.
4) INTERNAL VALIDITY - High levels as Harlow could exercise control over what condition the monkey’s where in, therefore removes extraneous variables.

31
Q

Weaknesses of Harlow’s Study. (1)

A

ETHICAL ISSUES - Harlow used stressful procedures in frightening the monkey’s, they were also caged and prevented from interacting with their biological mother - may have adverse effects later in life.

32
Q

What areas are involved in the Learning Theory of Attachment?

A
  • Classical conditioning, refers to learning through association.
  • Operant conditioning, refers to learning through consequences.
    Suggests that attachment behaviours are learnt through the environment and are a result of nuture not nature
33
Q

Classical Conditioning and Attachment.

A 
Food satisfies babies needs, PAF usually provides this source of pleasure. Caregiver associates pleasure and an attachment is formed. 
1) UCS = UCR
   Food = Pleasure & Satisfaction
2) NS = No response
    PAF = No response
3) NS + UCS = UCR
    PAF + Food = Pleasure & Satisfaction
4) CS = CR
    PAF = Pleasure & Satisfaction
34
Q

Operant Conditioning and Attachment.

A
  • Food is child’s PRIMARY REINFORCER as it fulfils BIOLOGICAL NEEDS
  • care giver becomes SECONDARY REINFORCER as it provides PRIMARY REINFORCER.
  • Child will stay close to care giver i.e. proximity seeking
  • When Child is fed, crying (undesirable) stops. Removes negative experience so negative reinforcer.
35
Q

Strengths of the Learning theory. (2)

A

1) FACE VALIDITY - Looks correct on the surface as children are drawn to food. Explains how attachments are formed through association and Reinforcement. Implies theory has credibility.
2) SCIENTIFIC - Focuses solely on observable attachment behaviours e.g. proximity seeking. Means theory is falsifiable.

36
Q

Weaknesses of the Learning theory. (3)

A

1) CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE - HARLOW (1959) Harlow proved that the monkey’s preferred the cloth mother (comfort) over the wire mother (food) telling us attachment is more than food.
2) CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE - SHAFFER AND EMERSON (1964) Found infants most attached to most responsive caregiver, not always the one who fed. 39% most attached to the most responsive. Thus provides a further theoretical flaw.
3) ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION - Bowlby’s evolutionary theory suggests attachment is coded in our DNA for an adaptive function. Focuses on nature not nurture.

37
Q

Describe the assumptions of Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory.

A

The theory believes that attachment behaviours serve evolutionary advantage. It believes that they are coded into our genetic structure, and it’s NATURE not NURTURE
According to Bowlby’s theory attachment is a set of behaviours that have aided our survival and allowed our genes to continue.

38
Q

What are the 6 KEY PRINCIPLES of Bowlby’s theory?

A

1) Attachment is INNATE AND ADAPTIVE:
- innate drive to form attachments e.g. babies cry when hungry and parents respond to social releasers.
- adaptive trait that has evolutionary advantages increasing the likelihood of survival.
2) CARE GIVING is also INNATE AND ADAPTIVE:
- A mother has instinct to attach and to respond to social releasers.
- Infants use social releasers e.g. cute face, smiling to elicit care giving e.g. cuddling.
3) Attachment is MONO TROPIC:
- Preference for one person, the PAF. Have one attachment figure that is more important than all the others.
4) Attachment has CRITICAL PERIOD:
- There is a window of development in the first 3 years of infants life that they are able to quickly and easily form attachments.
5) Attachment provides a SECURE BASE:
- The PAF is the secure base, the child is happy to wonder off knowing they can return to the PAF.
6) Attachment forms our INTERNAL WORKING MODEL:
- Template for future relationships, individual concept for how relationships work.

39
Q

What are the Strengths of Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory? (2)

A

1) Theory has supporting evidence.
- Lorenz’s research supports the ‘critical period’, found if they did not imprint in 25 hours no attachments will develop
- Harlow’s research supports ‘care giver sensitivity’ found Monkey’s would cling to cloth mother when stressed or after they’d been fed.
2) Theory has real world applications.
- Influential in child care services, nurseries have 1 key worker to maintain attachment. Suggesting Bowlby’s research has helped to avoid damaging affects.

40
Q

What are the Weaknesses of Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory? (2)

A

1) Alternative Explanations:
- Kagan (1984) suggests continuity between early attachments and later relationships may be due to the innate temperament of the child
2) Methodological Problems:
Lorenz’s study has evolutionary discontinuity, there are too many qualitative differences which makes it difficult to generalise to humans.

41
Q

What was the aim of the longitudinal English and Romanian adoption study?

A

Rutter (2007) aim was to investigate the long term effects of institutional care and to see the extent to which good care could make up for poor early experiences in institutions.

42
Q

What was the procedure of Rutters study?

A
  • Random sample of 165 Romanian children (144 reared in institutions) who had been adopted by UK families before the age of 4.
  • Children were studied at 4, 6 and 11 years of age (7 year study)
  • Comparisons were made with 52 UK adoptees (non institutionalised) adopted before 6 months + studied in the same way.
  • Used a range of methods including:
    • Tape Recorder interview with primary caregiver.
    • Behavioural and family relationship questionnaires
    • Standardised cognitive measures e.g. IQ
    • Home Observation measuring inappropriate behaviour
    • Assessment of peer relationships (11) by teacher and parent reports.
    • Interviews & Questionnaires completed by child on behavioural and emotional adjustment.
43
Q

What were the findings of Rutters study?

A
  • Over 1/2 initially showed undernourishment & developmental retardation. Bottom 1/3 for weight gain and head circumference.
  • By 4 had caught up with peers physical development.
  • At 11 showed differences in intellect recovery based on time of adoption.
    - Before 6 months old = IQ 102
    - Between 6m-1 year = IQ 86
    - After 2 years = IQ 77
  • Difference in attachment based of age of adoption e.g. 70% of those adopted after 6 months showed signs of dis-inhibited attachment.
  • Compared to 47% adopted before 6 months, 47% of non institutionalised adoptees and 59% of UK group.
  • 45% of those who showed dis-inhibited attachment at 6 also showed at 11 and more likely to be receiving help for special needs or mental health.
44
Q

What three effects of institutionalisation were shown in Romanian orphan studies?

A

1) DIS-INHIBITED ATTACHMENT: Where a child acts overly familiar/ inappropriate towards completed strangers. Zeanah’s research saw 44% of institutionalised infants showing dis inhibited attachment.
2) DEVELOPMENTAL RETARDATION: Children raised in institutions often show delayed development and lower IQ. Those adopted before 6 months had an IQ of 102, whereas those adopted after 2 years had an IQ of 77.
3) DEVELOPMENTAL DWARFISM: Children in Institutions are often physically smaller, and a lack of emotional care can lead to underdevelopment. Le Mare and Audet (2006) found adopted orphans were smaller than matched control group at 4 and 1/2 years old, but had caught up by 11 and 1/2.

45
Q

What are the strengths of Romanian Orphan Studies? (2)

A

1) USEFUL PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Has enhanced understanding of negative effects of being raised in an institution, and has led to changes in institutions e.g. Key Workers. So the research had helped improve the lives of many vulnerable children.
2) Evidence that the adverse effects can be overcome with adequate substitute care. Le Mare & Audet found the physical differences seen between Romanian Orphans and there matched control group at 4 and 1/2 years of age had disappeared by 11 and 1/2 years. Suggest recovery is possible.

46
Q

What are the Weaknesses of Romanian Orphan Studies. (2)

A

1) PROBLEMS WITH GENERALISABILITY: Standards of care were particularly poor, so effects not representative of all institutions. Also impossible to control extraneous variables. So research not completely valid evidence.
2) LONG TERM EFFECTS: May not be clear until adulthood, The continuity hypothesis and IWM would suggests they will go on to form poor relationships. More researcher needs to be done as it is inconclusive.

Psychology (11 decks)

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