Attachment AO1 Flashcards
What is attachment?
An emotional relationship or bond between two people. Each person seeks closeness with the other and feels more secure in their presence.
What is Reciprocity?
When a child and caregiver respond to each others signals which elicits a response from each other e.g. caregiver responds to babies smile by saying something and then the baby giggles
What research links to Reciprocity?
-Babies have ‘alert phases’ when they signal they are ready for interaction
-Mothers tend to pick up on and respond to alertness 2/3 of the time
-From 3 months this becomes more frequent
-Reciprocity increases
What is Interactional Synchrony?
When the caregiver and infant carry out the same action simultaneously and can be seen in babies as young as 4 months old e.g. actions and emotions are mirrored off each other
What is the research into Interactional Synchrony?
Meltzoff + Moore (1977)
-Adult did one of 3 facials expressions ( tongue out, mouth open and pout)
-Two week old responses filmed
-Their expressions were more likely to mirror the adult than chance would predict
-Babies tended to mimic the actions
What was Schaffer and Emerson Glasgow baby study?
The study involved 60 babies (31 boys and 29 girls) and all were from Glasgow from skilled working-class families. Researchers visited babies and their mothers in their own homes every month for the first year of their life and then again at 18 months. They then asked the mothers questions about separation which was designed to measure the babies attachment. They also assessed stranger anxiety to unfamiliar people.
What are the four stages of attachment?
- Asocial Stage (0-2 months)
- Indiscriminate Stage (2-7 months)
- Specific Attachment (7-9 months)
- Multiple Attachments (10+ months)
What is the Asocial Stage?
Babies behave the same way towards humans and objects. They also prefer to be with other people and tend to show a preference to familiar people. They are also more easily comforted.
What is the Indiscriminate Stage?
Babies display more obvious social behaviors and a clear preference for humans. Prefer company from familiar people but accept affection from anyone.
What is the Specific Attachment Stage?
Show classic signs of attachment towards one particular person and anxiety is directed towards strangers especially when attachment figure is gone. (The specific attachment is not always the most seen but the one who responds to signals.)
What is the Multiple Attachment Stage?
Behavior is extended to multiple attachment figures with those who they regularly spend time with. 29% happened one month after primary but majority by the age of one year.
