Attachment

Question 1

What is attachment?

Answer 1

Harris 1993

An emotional tie developing between the infant and other significant people

Question 2

The biologically driven process to provide attachment

Answer 2

Nurturant

Protection

Security

Attachment behaviours helps the child to maintain proximity

Question 3

Imprinting

Answer 3

Innate ability

Critical for development

Forming a strong socio-economic relationship will improve survival

Question 4

Bowlby approach

Answer 4

No attachment (0-5 month)

Start of attachment (5-7 months)

Separation protest and fear of strangers (7 month- 3 years old)

Goal-corrected partnership (2/3years +)

5th stage added later:

Lessening of attachment (school age)

Question 5

Maternal deprivation hypothesis

Answer 5

Deprived mother between critical period (6 months- 3 years)

• Long term consequences with social and cognitive (delinquency)

Mothers should not have long periods away from their child

Question 6

Rutter 1981- separating families

Answer 6

Delinquency and behavioural problems is open and various

Question 7

Ainsworth 1967

Answer 7

Strange situation procedure- with child and a stranger

- 7 short episodes (infant 12-24 months of age)

Question 8

Attachment types

Answer 8

Type a: avoidant and detached-
Ignored mother in return
Stranger and mother treated the same way

Type b: secure-
Often cries during separation
Actively seeks to gain mother
Mother preferred over stranger

Type c: ambivalent and resistant-
Upset during separation
Resists comfort from stranger

Type d: disorganised-
Confusion, fear, disorientated

Question 9

Criticism of attachment types:

Answer 9

Not specific to characteristics of infant

Insecure attachment may be useful if the environment was not supportive

Need to know the knowledge of culture
- japan babies left alone at 12 months

Question 10

Father involvement

Answer 10

Flouri 2005 
- positive effects on children
Mental healths 
Academic development 
Less aggression towards peers
Less delinquency in adolescence

Question 11

Care outside the family- national institute of child health- study

Answer 11

Attachment:

• no main effects of day care on attachment security
• more insecure attachment for boys with long/ poor quality day care

Cognitive and language development:
- high quality day care- leads to better academic achievements

Question 12

Borge at al 2004- children in home care

Answer 12

More mother related aggression at 2 and 3 years

• day care is a protective factor