Attachment Flashcards
1
Q
attachment theory (4-stage theory)
A
- Claimed that infants require a secure base from which to explore their world -> the primary caregiver(s) form this secure base
- Need for secure base is innate, but develops with major individual differences
- 4 stages of attachment development:
1. pre-attachment stage
2. attachment in the making stage
3. clear-cut attachment stage
4. reciprocal relationship stage
2
Q
pre-attachment stage
A
- Birth to 6 weeks
- Infant-caregiver bond is mostly parent-controlled
- Infant uses reflexive behaviour to interact with parent (ie. Crying)
3
Q
attachment in the making stage
A
- 6 weeks to 6-8 months
- Infants begin to behave preferentially toward familiar people (ex. Smiling more at people they know, babbling and laughing more with people they know)
- Infants learn how caregivers respond and learn to trust or not trust them)
4
Q
clear-cut attachment stage
A
- 6-8 months to 18 months
- Infants actively seek attachment figure
- Exhibit separation anxiety from attachment figure
- Begin exploration using the caregiver as a secure base
5
Q
reciprocal relationship stage
A
- 18 months through remainder of childhood
- Infants’ linguistic and cognitive abilities improve
- Begin to understand attachment figure’s goals/feelings/expectations
- Form a “working partnership” with caregiver -> baby engages in helping behaviour
- Separation anxiety declines
6
Q
internal working model
A
- The outcome of the 4-stage model
- a mental representation of the self, of attachment figures, and of relationships
- Based on the dependability of the caregiver
- Based on the internal working model, an attachment subtype is formed
7
Q
attachment subtype
A
- Either secure, avoidant, or resistant
- A child’s attachment subtype influences the way the child acts toward the parent, which then affects the way the parent acts toward the child
- Affects overall adjustment, social behaviour, etc. throughout lifespan (including their attachment style with their future children)
8
Q
testing individual attachment differences in infancy
A
- All infants require an attachment figure for normal development, but individual differences exist in how infants are attached
- Ainsworth developed the Strange Situation Procedure to operationalize and measure these variables in attachment types
- On the basis of Strange Situation, Ainsworth proposed 4 attachment subtypes:
- Secure attachment
- Insecure attachment:
- — Insecure/resistant
- — Insecure/avoidant
- — Disorganized/disoriented
9
Q
secure attachment
A
- 60% of infants
- Explore the room and toys, using caregiver as a secure base
- Look towards stranger and don’t exhibit fear (when caregiver is present)
- Usually (but not always) distressed by caregiver’s departure, and cannot typically be calmed down by the stranger
- Greets caregiver with happiness or reduced distress upon return
- Rates of securely attached infants correlates with socioeconomic status
10
Q
insecure-resistant attachment
A
- 10% of infants
- Cling to caregiver from beginning of situation
- Exhibit nervousness/wariness at room and stranger
- Little exploration of toys
- Become very upset at departure of caregiver
- Establishes contact when caregiver returns, but resists caregiver’s soothing efforts
11
Q
insecure-avoidant attachment
A
- 15% of infants
- Indifference to caregiver during the strange situation (may or may not explore the room/toys)
- Little distress at caregiver’s departure
- Little regard for caregiver at reunion
- Ignore/turn away from caregiver before and after reunion
12
Q
disorganized-disoriented attachment
A
- After Ainsworth completed her research, it began to be clear that approximately 15% of the infants tested didn’t fall into the other 3 categories
- Her colleagues noted that these infants could be grouped together based on their confused behaviour
- Fearful of approaching caregiver in strange situation (gaze aversion to parent)
- Switching rapidly from calm to distress
- Appearance of daze/disorientation
- “freezing” behaviour (with no frightening stimulus present)
- Attempt to approach mother at reunion, but also exhibiting fear of her (ie. Gaze aversion)
- Many of the babies in this category have experienced abuse or trauma
13
Q
adult attachment
A
- Adults continue to have working attachment models
- Tested with Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), which asks questions about relationship with parents
- Adults’ attachment models are classified into 4 categories based on the consistency of their responses (rather than content): autonomous, dismissing, preoccupied, unresolved/disorganized
- Adult attachment models appear to predict infant attachment models (ie. Autonomous parents tend to have securely attached infants)
14
Q
autonomous
A
coherent, consistent, relevant responses (even if responses are negative)
15
Q
dismissing
A
“can’t remember” childhood, minimize the impact that these experience had on them, contradictory
