Attachment Key Words Flashcards
Attachment
An emotional bond between two people that endures over time. Leads to certain behaviours such as clinging and proximity-seeking. Services the function of protecting an infant
Attachment type
Refers to whether a person is securely or insecurely attached i.e. the way you relate to others in the context of intimate relationships
Reciprocity
A description of how 2 people interact. Mother-infant interaction is reciprocal in that both infant and mother respond to each other’s signals and each elicits a response from the other
Interactional Synchrony
Mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordinated (synchronised) way
Primary Attachment Figure
The person who has formed the closet bond with the child, demonstrated by the intensity of the relationship. This is usually a child’s biological mother but other people can fulfil the role
Stage of Attachment
Many developmental theories identify a sequence of qualitatively different behaviours linked to specific ages. In stages of attachment some characteristics of the infant’s behaviour towards others change as the infant gets older
Multiple attachments
Attachments to two or more people. Most babies appear to develop multiple attachments once they have formed one true attachment to a main carer
Separation Anxiety
Distress shown by an infant when separated from an attachment figure
Stranger Anxiety
Distress shown by an infant when approached by an unfamiliar person
Secondary Attachment Figure
Additional support is provided from the secondary attachment figure who provide an emotional safety net
Animal Studies
Studies carried out on non-human animal species rather than on humans, either for ethical or practical reasons-practical because animals breed faster and researchers are interested in seeing results across more than one generation of animals
Imprinting
An innate readiness to acquire certain behaviours during a critical or sensitive period of development
Experimental group
The group in an independent groups design containing the independent variable as distinct from the control
Sexual imprinting
Acquiring a template of the characteristics of a desirable mate
Maternal deprivation
The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and their mother or mother substitute.
Learning theory
A set of theories from the behaviourist approach to psychology, that emphasise the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour. Explanations for learning of behaviour include classical and operant conditioning
Reinforcement
A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative
Primary Drive
Innate drives (motivators) such as food, water and sex
Secondary Drive
Learned drives (motivators) acquired through association with primary drives, such as money that enables primary drives to be satisfied
Drive Reduction
An animal is motivated to act in order to satisfy biological needs; once satisfied, the result is drive reduction
Strange Situation
A controlled observation designed to test attachment security. Infants are assessed on their response to playing in an unfamiliar room, being left alone, left with a stranger and being reunited with a caregiver
Secure attachment
Generally thought of as the most desirable attachment type, associated with psychologically healthy outcomes. In the Strange Situation this is shown by moderate stranger anxiety and ease of comfort at reunion
Insecure-avoidant attachment
An attachment type characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment. In the Strange Situation this is shown by moderate stranger and separation anxiety and ease of comfort at reunion
Insecure-resistant attachment
An attachment type characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety. In the Strange Situation this is shown by high levels of stranger and separation anxiety and resistance to be comforted at reunion
Proximity Seeking
Wishing to remain in close contact with a caregiver/attachment figure
Insecure Attachment
Develops as a result of the caregiver’s lack of sensitive responding to the infant’s needs. May be associated with poor cognitive and emotional development
Secure base behaviour
Secure attachment provides a sense of safety to enable exploration and independence
Inter-rater reliabiity
Correlating the judgements of 2 or more ratings of behaviour, as when using a rating scale. Can happen in a questionnaire or interview when behaviour has been rated or in an observation when behaviour has been raed
Culture-bound
Restricted to a particular culture i.e. group of people defined by their shared practices
Temprament
Emotional type, such as being outgoing or reserved, moody or cheerful
Disorganised attachment
Characterised by lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour. Such infants lack of coherent strategy for dealing with the stress of separation. For example, they show very strong attachment behaviour which is suddenly followed by avoidance or looking fearfully towards their caregiver
Cultural Variations
The differences in norms and values that exist between people in different groups. In attachment research we are concerned with the differences in the proportion of children of different attachment types
Anomalous Results
Data that do not fit in with the pattern of the other results
Imposed Etic
A technique or theory developed in one culture and then used to study the behaviour of people in a different culture with different norms, values and experiences
Maternal Deprivation
The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother or mother substitute. Bowlby proposed that continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development, and that prolonged separation from this adult causes serious damage to emotional and intellectual development
Critical Period
The time within which an attachment must for if it is to form at all. Lorenz and Harlow noted that attachment in birds and monkeys had critical periods. Bowlby extended the idea to humans, proposing that human infants have a sensitive period after which it will be much more difficult to form an attachment
Affectionless Psychopathy
A behaviour disorder in which the individual has no ability to experience shame or guilt and lacks a social conscience. This means that they may find it ‘easier’ to commit crimes
Institutionalisation
A term for the effects of living in an institutional setting. The term ‘institution’ refers to a place lie a hospital or an orphanage where children live for long, continuous periods of time. In such places there is often very little emotional care provided. In attachment research we are interested in the effects of institutional care on children’s attachment and subsequent development
Orphan Studies
These concern children placed in care because their parents cannot look after them. An orphan is a child whose parents have either died or have abandoned them permanently
Disinhibited Attachment
A type of insecure attachment where children do not form close attachments. Such children will treat strangers with inappropriate familiarity (overfriendliness) and may be attention-seeking.
Childhood relationships
Affiliations with other people in childhood, including friends and classmates and with adults such as teachers
Adult relationships
Those relationships the child goes on to have later in life as an adult. These include friendships and working relationships but most critically relationships with romantic partners and the person’s own children
Internal working models
The mental representations we all carry with us of our attachments to our primary caregiver. They are important in affecting our future relationships because they carry our perception of what relationships are like
