attachment A01

Question 1

What is meant by Reciprocity?

Answer 1

-Taking turns to respond
-Achieved when baby & caregiver respond and elicit responses from each other
-Feldman & Eidelman, mothers respond around 2 thirds of the time, from around 3months interaction becomes reciprocal
-Babies have an active role, both baby and caregiver can initiate interactions

Question 2

What is meant by interactional synchrony?

Answer 2

-Simultaneous imitation
-Meltzoff & Moore observed this in young babies, adults displayed 1 of 3 expressions and filmed baby response, baby response more likely to mirror adults
-Isabella found high levels of synchrony associated with better quality mother-baby attachment

Question 3

What is Schaffer’s Asocial stage?

Answer 3

-First stage (1st few weeks)
-Baby’s behaviour toward people & inanimate objects similar
-Some preference for familiar people but happy in presence of anyone

Question 4

What is Schaffer’s Indiscriminate stage?

Answer 4

-Second stage (2-7 months)
-Babies display observable social behaviour with preference for people rather than inanimate objects
-Recognise/prefer familiar people

Question 5

What is Schaffer’s Specific attachment stage?

Answer 5

-Third stage (around 7months)
-Stranger/separation anxiety when separated from one particular person
-Baby formed specific attachment with primary attachment figure

Question 6

What is Schaffer’s Multiple attachments stage?

Answer 6

-Fourth & final stage (1 year)
-Secondary attachments with other adults form shortly after
-By 1 year majority of infants had multiple secondary attachments

Question 7

Outline the procedure of Schaffer and Emerson’s stages of attachment study

Answer 7

60 babies from Glasgow, mostly working class families
Researcher visited homes every month for a year and again at 18months
Separation anxiety measured by asking mothers about children’s behaviour when separated (leaving room)
Stranger anxiety measured by asking mothers about children’s anxiety response to unfamiliar adults

Question 8

Outline the findings of Schaffer and Emerson’s stages of attachment study

Answer 8

Babies developed attachments through sequence of stages
Specific attachment was person who was most interactive and sensitive to babies’ signals and facial expressions