Attachment

Question 1

What is the definition of attatchment?

Answer 1

An emotional tie or relationship between two people shown in their behaviour. This is a reciprocal relationship.

Question 2

How can we see that two people have an attachment to each other and who came up with this theory?

Answer 2

Maccoby 1980

• seeking proximity
• separation anxiety
• joy on reunion
• the general orientation of behaviour towards the other the other person

Question 3

what is ‘seeking proximity’

Answer 3

the desire to be close to the person to whom you are attached to.

Question 4

what is ‘separation anxiety’

Answer 4

the distress that results from being separated from that person.

Question 5

what is ‘joy on reunion’

Answer 5

relief and observable joy when reunited with them

Question 6

what is meant by ‘general orientation of behaviour towards the other person’

Answer 6

the child’s awareness of where the person is and the reassurance they feel by being close to them.

Question 7

what are the three factors affecting development and name examples

Answer 7

Biological- disabilities/disorders, hormones, genetics
Environmental- socio-economic status, food/nutrition, education (or level of)
Social/Cultural- social media, religion, race

Question 8

why are attachments important?

Answer 8

they can be viewed as solid foundations to grow and develop from.

Question 9

what are the two types of research methods

Answer 9

naturalistic and controlled

Question 10

what is meant by a naturalistic observational method?

Answer 10

takes place in a natural environment

-participants unaware or aware

Question 11

what is meant by a controlled observational method?

Answer 11

takes place in a lab setting (controlled environment)

-participants usually aware.

Question 12

what’s the difference between covert and over?

Answer 12

covert- the participants are unaware

overt- participants are aware

Question 13

what are the two types of sampling methods?

Answer 13

time sampling methods- observations recorded at specific time intervals e.g every 30 seconds.
event sampling- kept a count each time a specific behaviour occurs e.g mouth opening.

Question 14

what are some positives and negatives of naturalistic observations?

Answer 14

+behaviour occurs in natural environments

-lack of control of variables we cannot control (extraneous variables)

Question 15

what are some positives and negatives of controlled observations?

Answer 15

+high level of control over the environment

-demand characteristics (unnatural behaviour).

Question 16

what are the pros and cons of covert

Answer 16

+high validity

-unethical (people do not know they are being recorded)

Question 17

what are the pros and cons of over?

Answer 17

+more ethical

-people know they are being recorded, may act differently.

Question 18

what are the four development stages of attachment?

Answer 18

1. indiscriminate attachment
2. beginnings of attachment
3. discriminate attachment
4. multiple attachment

Question 19

what is meant by indiscriminate attachment?

Answer 19

infants produce similar responses to all objects animate and inanimate. Reciprocity and interactional synchrony are beginning to be established

Question 20

what is meant by the beginnings of attachment

Answer 20

infants (at four + months) are more social, preferring human to a non-human company. At this stage, infants are not yet showing indiscriminate attachment.

Question 21

what is meant by discriminate attachment

Answer 21

at 7 months, infants show separation anxiety when put down by a particular individual. They ate said to have formed an attachment to their primary attachment figure

Question 22

what is meant by multiple attachments?

Answer 22

This takes place after the main attachment has been formed. for example, infants show attachment towards siblings, other relatives and neighbours etc.

Question 23

In what ways has research shown that fathers play the secondary attachment figure?

Answer 23

• research has highlighted that fathers are more physically active and better at providing challenging situations for their children.
• spend less time with children.

Question 24

what research has established that the principle caregiver role is the amount of time spent with the infant?

Answer 24

Lamb (in 1997) reported that studies have shown little relationship between father to the amount of time spent with the infant.

Question 25

Is it true that most men may not be psychologically equipped to form an intense attachment?

Answer 25

yes. they lack the emotional sensitivity that women offer

>may be due to social or biological factors.

Question 26

How may biological factors explain why men are less equipped to be the primary attachment figure?

Answer 26

the female hormone oestrogen underlies caring behaviour.

>more oriented towards impersonal goals than men.

Question 27

what are the stereotypes that may affect male behaviour?

Answer 27

thought to be feminine to be sensitive to need others.

Question 28

what evidence is there to suggest men are less sensitive than women?

Answer 28

+Heerman et al (1994) supported men being less sensitive
-However, Frodi et al (1978) showed videotapes of infants crying and found no difference in psychological responses of men and women.

Question 29

why can a lack of sensitivity in fathers be seen as a positive?

Answer 29

it fosters the idea of problem-solving by making greater communicative and cognitive demands for children.