Attachment Flashcards
Define attachment
A close two way emotional bond between two individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for there own emotional security
Name and describe the three characteristics of attachment
Proximity- people try to stay physically close to who they are attached to
Separation Distress- people become distressed when the attachment figure leaves their presence
Secure base behaviour- infants display secure base behaviour when they regularly return to their attachment figure when playing
Define reciprocity
Where the actions of one partner leads to a response from the other
Turn taking
Define interactional synchrony
When an infant mirrors the actions of another person
Describe the supporting evidence for interactional synchrony
Meltzoff and Moore:
An adult model would display one of three facial expressions and the child’s response was filmed, found that babies would attempt to imitate facial and physical gestures
Evaluate Meltzoff and Moore’s research
❌difficulties with observations:
It is difficult to be certain what is taking place from the infants perspective
✅controlled observations- validity
Have high control over variables and babies show no demand characteristics
Give a criticism of evaluation of caregiver infant interactions
❌Working mothers
this research suggests that children may be disadvantaged by the way that they are brought up, this blames the mother especially if they returned to work soon after> suggests that mothers should not return to work so has socially sensitive implications
Describe Lorenz’s research
Investigate the process of IMPRINTING , where youngsters follow and form attachment with the first large moving object they meet
He took some geese, condition A being hatched by the mother and other hatched in an incubator
Lorenz was the first large moving animal the hatchlings encountered
Found that those hatched by the mother followed the mother about, whereas those hatched in an incubator followed Lorenz around
Lorenz also found that this would only happen within a brief set time period known as a critical period
Describe Harlows Research
Worked with rhesus monkeys (similar to humans more so than geese)
Two types of mother were constructed : a harsh wire mother and a soft towelling mother
Four different conditions; ie wire mother producing milk and towelling mother producing no milk
The monkeys were frightened with a loud noise
Results: monkey preferred contact with the towelling mother when given a choice of surrogate mothers, regardless of whether she produced milk
Conclusion: rhesus monkeys have an innate unlearned need for contact comfort suggesting that attachment concerns emotional security more than food
Describe the dysfunctional behaviour the rhesus monkeys in later life experienced
Timid
Unpredictable with other monkeys
Difficulty mating
Females were inadequate mothers
Briefly Evaluate animal studies
❌generalising from animals to humans
✅value for theory
✅practical application
Describe: animal studies
❌generalising from animals to humans
It is difficult to generalise animals to humans
Humans are far more emotionally developed more so than a goose or monkey
Describe animal studies
✅value for theory
Harlow drew attention to the fact that food was not a priority
Harlow made us aware of the long term consequences of not forming an attachment, this included being inadequate mothers
Describe: animal studies
✅practical application
It has helped social workers understand risk factors in child neglect and abuse and so intervene to prevent It
Describe bowlbys Monotropic theory
A- adaptive= innate features that ensure survival , eg rooting reflex
S-social releasers= these unlock the innate tendency in adults to care for them (eg baby face and crying)
C- critical period- babies must form an attachment within a certain (birth and 2.5 yrs)
M-monotropy- infants form one special attachment with their mother
I- internal working model- all future relationships will be based upon this early attachment
Describe the supporting evidence for bowlbys Monotropic theory
Lorenz
Geese formed one attachment (Monotropic)
It was an innate feature to aid survival (adaptive)
Supports critical period (formed attachment within 5-24 hrs)
Describe some evidence that challenged bowlbys Monotropic theory
Rutter
Research carried out research on i orphans found that adoptees who did not form attachment within critical period could form an attachment outside of this period
Not critical but “sensitive period”
Give another piece of evidence that supports bowlbys Monotropic theory
Hazan and Shaver
Used a questionnaire called “love quiz” to examine current attachment experiences and history
Volunteer sampling
Found positive correlation between attachment type and later love experiences
SUPPORTS INTERNAL WORKING MODEL
Criticise hazan and shavers research
❌questionnaire
❌retrospective data
❌cause and effect cannot be established
❌volunteer sample (does not represent whole of country and only specific demographics)
Briefly state all the evaluation points of bowlbys Monotropic theory
✅supporting evidence: Lorenz
❌rutter
✅hazan and shaver (can be criticised ❌)
❌socially sensitive
Describe learning theory
Cupboard love
Children learn to love whoever feeds them
Child learns (classical conditioning) to form an attachment with mother as he forms association between mother and food
And through operant conditioning the food reinforces the attachment
Briefly evaluate learning theory
❌Harlow
❌reductionist / ignores innate features
❌newer learning theory
Describe why Harlow is a criticism of learning theory
The rhesus monkey preferred the cloth covered wire mother over the wire mother which could feed, shows that the monkey sought contact comfort over the food, this challenges the cupboard love theory which is proposed by learning theory
How does the Learning theory ignore innate factors
Suggests that learning theory outlines that much of how attachments are formed are due to innate factors - these include adaptation and social releasers, neither of which are taught or learned (supported by Lorenz: geese did not have to be taught to form an attachment)
