Attachment exam questions

Question 1

Outline one difference in attachment behaviours shown by infants who have an insecure-avoidant attachment and infants who have an insecure-resistant attachment.

Answer 1

level of separation anxiety – low (avoidant) vs high (resistant)

level of stranger anxiety – low (avoidant) vs high (resistant)

response on reunion – indifference (avoidant) vs ambivalence (resistant)

proximity seeking – low/independent behaviour (avoidant) vs high/clingy (resistant).

Question 2

Give three behaviours that researchers have measured in order to classify attachment type when using the Strange Situation.

Answer 2

proximity seeking
using mother as a safe base
willingness to explore
clinginess
separation anxiety/distress
stranger anxiety/distress
reunion behaviour.

Question 3

In van Ijzendoorn research on cross-cultural variations in attachment, which country had the highest number of insecure-resistant children?

Answer 3

israel

Question 4

Apart from ethical issues, explain one limitation of the Strange Situation as a measure of attachment type

Answer 4

ecological validity may be low as the study was carried out in controlled conditions, which were unfamiliar to the child, and might not represent the attachment type displayed when the infant is at home

Question 5

State two effects of institutionalisation.

Answer 5

-intellectual disability
-disinhibited attachment

Question 6

Outline Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation.

Answer 6

Bowlby’s use of the term ‘deprivation’

• Effects on development – intellectual, emotional, social, e.g. affectionless psychopathy, delinquency, low IQ
• Critical period – an issue if prolonged separation, if before two and half years (but risk up to 5 years) and if no substitute available
• Internal working model – this can lead to inability to be a good parent
• Continuity hypothesis – if there are prolonged separations then there may be issues into adulthood.

Question 7

Explain one criticism of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation.

Answer 7

Sensitive versus critical period
Economic implications of the theory (care, work, etc.).

Question 8

Describe what research with Romanian orphans has shown about the effects of institutionalisation.

Answer 8

Rutter’s ERA study: impaired language and social skills; disinhibited attachment for those adopted after 6 months; most common in the late adopted group; attention seeking, clinginess; disinhibited attachment persisted in many of the adoptees at age 6 and in over 50% at age 11; physical, cognitive and social developmental delay. Differential rates of recovery depending on age of adoption. At age 11, mean IQ 102 for those adopted before 6 months; 86 for those adopted between 6 months and 2 years; 77 for those adopted after 2 years

Question 9

Identify two infant behaviours that are characteristic of an insecure-resistant attachment type.

Answer 9

-High or extreme stranger anxiety
-High or extreme separation anxiety
-Resist comfort from the caregiver on reunion
- Explore less
-More clingy.

Question 10

In van Ijzendoorn’s cross-cultural investigations of attachment, which one of the countries was found to have the highest percentage of anxious-resistant children?

Answer 10

Japan

Question 11

In van Ijzendoorn’s cross-cultural investigations of attachment, which one of the countries was found to have the highest percentage of anxious-avoidant children?

Answer 11

Germany

Question 12

Outline one or more studies that have investigated cultural variations in attachment.

Answer 12

Much of the research has used the strange situation. Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s meta-analysis found secure attachment was the most common in all cultures studied. The lowest % of secure attachment was shown in China, and the highest in Great Britain.
Avoidant attachment was more common in West Germany but rare in Israel and Japan. Variation within cultures was 1.5 times greater than the variation between cultures.