Attachment Exam Q Knowledge Flashcards
Outline Lorenz’s and Harlow’s animal studies of attachment. Discuss what these studies
might tell us about human attachment.
Lorenz Experiment, observations and evaluations.
Guiton Et Al: on imprinting
-Harlows research and findings
-What practical value do his findings have
-Criticism
Question: What experiment did Lorenz conduct with goose eggs?
Answer: Lorenz divided goose eggs into two batches. One batch was hatched naturally by the mother, and the second batch was placed in an incubator, with Lorenz being the first large moving object that the goslings saw after hatching
Question: What did Lorenz observe in his experiment with goose goslings?
Answer: Lorenz found that the naturally hatched goslings followed the mother goose, whereas the incubator-hatched goslings followed Lorenz. He noted that this imprinting only occurred within a critical period of 4-25 hours after hatching, and the relationship proved to be irreversible.
Question: Can Lorenz’s findings on imprinting be generalized to humans?
Answer: No, since Lorenz only studied animals, we cannot generalize the results to humans. The attachment formation in mammals, specifically humans, appears to be very different from that of bird species. Human parents, especially mothers, show more emotional reactions to their offspring and can form attachments beyond the first few hours after birth.
Question: What did Guiton et al. (1966) find in their research on imprinting?
Answer: Guiton et al. (1966) found that chickens would imprint on yellow gloves if that was the largest moving object they first saw after birth. However, they disagreed with Lorenz’s predictions that this relationship persists and is irreversible. With experience, the chickens could eventually learn to prefer mating with other chickens instead, suggesting that the effects of imprinting may not be as permanent as initially thought.
Question: What did Harlow’s research on rhesus monkeys reveal about attachment behavior?
Answer: Harlow investigated attachment behavior in rhesus monkeys by constructing two surrogate mothers: a harsh “wire mother” and a soft “towelling mother.” The baby monkeys preferred to make contact with the soft “towelling mother” and would even stretch across to the “wire mother” for food while still clinging onto the “towelling mother.” Harlow concluded that baby rhesus monkeys have an innate drive to seek contact comfort, suggesting that attachment with parents is formed through an emotional need for security.
Question: What practical value do Harlow’s findings have?
Answer: The results from Harlow’s study provide insight into attachment formation, which has important real-world applications. The knowledge gained from Harlow’s research has helped social workers understand risk factors in neglect and abuse cases with human children, enabling them to prevent or recognize when to intervene. Additionally, practical applications are used in the care of captive wild monkeys in zoos or breeding programs to ensure that they have adequate attachment figures as part of their care.
Question: What criticism did Harlow face regarding the ethics of his research?
Answer: Harlow was heavily criticized for the ethics of his research on animals. The baby rhesus monkeys suffered greatly in terms of emotional separation from their biological mother at such an early age due to the procedure Harlow used. If the species of primates are considered sufficiently human-like to generalize the results, then it stands to reason that the effects of psychological harm they will have endured are similar to that of a human baby. However, there is a question of whether the insight obtained was sufficiently important to justify Harlow’s approach.
Distinguish between type A and type B attachment and name them.
cultural variations in attachment
- secure attachment/Type B shows moderate levels of stranger anxiety whereas
insecure-avoidant/Type A shows low levels - insecure avoidant shows moderate levels of separation anxiety whereas secure attachment shows low levels
- insecure avoidant shows joy on reunion whereas secure attachment shows little response
Ainsworth’s Strange Situation showed that secure attachment was the most common type of attachment in all cultures examined. Japan and Israel (collectivist cultures) showed higher levels of insecure-resistant attachment, whereas Germany (individualistic culture) showed higher levels of insecure-avoidant attachment.
Monotropy:
Hasan and Shaver
maternal deprivation theory:
Question: What is monotropy according to Bowlby?
Answer: Monotropy refers to the formation of one special attachment between the infant and the primary caregiver. Through this attachment, the infant develops an internal working model that influences future relationship expectations.
What did Hazan and Shaver’s research support about Bowlby’s theory?
Answer: Hazan and Shaver’s research with a Love Quiz supported Bowlby’s idea of an internal working model by finding a positive correlation between early attachment types and later adult relationships. It suggested that early childhood experiences affect our later adult relationships.
maternal deprivation theory – disruption to the maternal bond in early life (critical period) leads to later
emotional problems
Discuss research into caregiver-infant interactions in humans.
Meltzoff & Moore:
Reciprocity:
Interactional Synchrony:
Limitation
Observer bias
Recent Research
Isabella et al
Meltzoff & Moore (1977) conducted an
observational study whereby an adult displayed facial
expressions and the infants response was recorded. There was an association between
the infants’ behaviour and that of the adult model, showing
reciprocity.
Question: What is reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?
Answer: Reciprocity is when an infant responds to the actions of another person, typically the primary caregiver, by engaging in turn-taking behaviors.
Question: What is interactional synchrony in caregiver-infant interactions?
Answer: Interactional synchrony occurs when infants mirror the actions or emotions of another person, such as imitating their facial expressions. The caregiver and the infant engage in synchronized behaviors, maintaining communication between them.
Question: What is a limitation of studying caregiver-infant interactions?
Answer: One limitation is the questionable reliability of testing infants due to their constant movement and unintentional behaviors. It raises concerns about whether observed behaviors of interactional synchrony or reciprocity are intentional or chance occurrences.
Question: What is observer bias in studying interactional synchrony?
Answer: Observer bias is a methodological problem where researchers may consciously or unconsciously interpret behaviors to support their findings. To address this, multiple observers should be used to examine inter-observer reliability of the observations.
Question: What did recent research by Koepke et al. suggest about Meltzoff & Moore’s findings on infant-caregiver interactions?
Answer: Recent research by Koepke et al. failed to replicate the findings of Meltzoff & Moore, indicating that their results regarding infant-caregiver interactions may be unreliable.
Question: What did Isabella et al.’s research reveal about interactional synchrony and attachment?
Answer: Isabella et al. found that only securely attached infants engage in interactional synchrony to a greater extent. This suggests that not all infants participate in interactional synchrony, and individual differences may mediate this behavior.
Outline findings from research into the role of the father in attachment
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) – studied 60 babies 75% of infants studied had formed an attachment with the father at 18
months
* research shows that the father may fulfil a qualitatively different role from that of the mother – seen as a playmate – but this is just as crucial to the child’s wellbeing
* research shows that the father in a single parent family is more likely to adopt the traditional maternal role
Outline and evaluate research into the influence of early attachment on
childhood and adult relationships
Internal Working Model
Kerns study
Sroufe et al
Hazan and Shaver
Zimmerman
Correlational Research
Methodological issues
Deterministic View
erm: Internal Working Model
Definition: The internal working model of an infant is thought to predict the likely outcomes of behavior in childhood and adulthood.
Term: Kerns (1994)
Definition: Kerns found that securely attached infants are more inclined to have good quality peer relationships during childhood, while infants with insecure attachment types are likely to have difficulties with making or maintaining friendships.
Term: Sroufe et al. (2005)
Definition: Sroufe et al conducted the Minnesota child-parent study and found that infants rated high in social competence during childhood were more empathetic, popular, and felt less isolated.
Term: Hazan and Shaver
Definition: Hazan and Shaver reported a positive correlation between early attachment type and experiences in love. Secure attachments in childhood were associated with loving and lasting romantic relationships in adulthood, while insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant attachment types were linked to intimacy issues and shorter relationships.
Term: Zimmerman (2000)
Definition: Zimmerman suggests that infant attachment type and the quality of relationships with parents during adolescence are not related, challenging the importance of the internal working model in the development of childhood and adult relationships.
Term: Correlational Research
Definition: Investigations into the influence of attachment on later relationships and the role of the internal working model rely on correlational research, which establishes associations but not causality. Results vary in strength and reliability, making it a less stable area of research.
Term: Methodological Issues
Definition: Assessing attachment type retrospectively raises methodological concerns, as self-report measures rely on adult participants’ memories from infancy and childhood. Memory impairment and lack of accuracy lower the internal validity of findings. Additionally, individuals may not report honestly or have insight into their own expectations due to the unconscious nature of the internal working model.
Term: Deterministic View
Definition: Research on the impact of attachment presents a deterministic view of behavior, suggesting that an infant’s early attachment experiences will have severe consequences on childhood and adulthood behaviors, including mental health. However, not all psychologists prescribe to deterministic views, as some believe in free will and the ability to overcome negative childhood experiences for healthy adult relationships.
Learning Theory
Learning Theory
Definition: Learning theory explains how infants learn to become attached through the processes of classical or operant conditioning. It is sometimes called the “cupboard love” theory due to its focus on food.
Classical Conditioning
Definition: Classical conditioning is learning by association. Food is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that produces an unconditioned response (UCR) of pleasure as relief from hunger. The caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus (NS) but becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) associated with the pleasure from feeding, resulting in the formation of an attachment.
Operant Conditioning
Definition: Operant conditioning suggests that when an infant feels hunger, it cries to receive comfort and reduce unpleasant feelings. When the caregiver provides food, a feeling of pleasure is produced, reinforcing the attachment as the infant seeks the caregiver who can supply the reward.
Term: Schaffer & Emmerson’s Research
Definition: Schaffer and Emmerson’s research showed that infants formed attachments to their mothers despite often being fed by other caregivers. This contradicts the learning theory explanation and suggests that alternative processes contribute to attachment formation.
