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Attachment Psychology > Attachment LCWC Pack 2024-25 > Flashcards

Attachment LCWC Pack 2024-25 Flashcards

1
Q

Define attachment

A

The formation of a strong, two-way emotional bond between two individuals.

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2
Q

Which 3 behaviours indicate an attachment has been formed?

A
  1. Proximity- child will have a need to be close to caregiver
  2. Separation distress- child will show distress when separated from caregiver
  3. Secure-base behaviour- when playing child will always come back at several points and check in with caregiver before going back off to play again.
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3
Q

State 2 types of caregiver-infant interactions

A

Reciprocity and interactional synchrony.

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4
Q

What is reciprocity?

A

The adult and infant communicate by taking turns and one action elicits a response from the partner. The responses are not necessarily similar as in interactional synchrony.

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5
Q

What are two phases in reciprocity?

A
  1. Alert phase
  2. Active involvement.
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6
Q

What is the alert phase?

A

Babies periodically signal that they are ready for interaction (e.g. making eye contact) and mother typically pick up and respond around two-thirds of the time. From 3 months these become increasingly frequent- involves both mother and baby paying close attention to each other’s verbal signals and facial expressions.

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7
Q

What is active involvement?

A

Both caregiver and baby can initiate interactions and take turns in doing so. Brazelton et al. (1975) described this as a ‘dance’- each partner responds to the other person’s moves.

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8
Q

What is interactional synchrony?

A

When adult and infant mirror what the other is doing in a co-ordinated and synchronised way.

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9
Q

State one study which shows support for interactional synchrony

A

Meltzoff and Moore (1977).

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10
Q

Describe the procedure of Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

A
  • Studied 2-3 week olds. Adult model displayed 1 of 3 facial expressions or hand movements.
  • A dummy was placed in infant’s mouth- prevent any response.
  • Dummy was removed and response was filmed.
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11
Q

Describe the findings of Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

A

Infants will imitate the facial and hand gestures of the adult model.

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12
Q

Give one difference between interactional synchrony and reciprocity

A

During interactional synchrony the responses are similar.

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13
Q

Why is interactional synchrony important?

A

It leads to better quality caregiver-infant attachments.

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14
Q

State the 4 stages of attachment

A
  1. Asocial (birth to 2 months)
  2. Indiscriminate attachments (2 months-6 months)
  3. Discriminate attachments (7 months-12 months)
  4. Multiple attachments (1 year onwards).
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15
Q

Describe the asocial stage

A

Infant shows similar responses to objects and people.

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16
Q

Describe the indiscriminate attachments stage

A

Infant shows preference for human company over non-human company. Can distinguish between humans but comforted by anyone (no stranger anxiety).

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17
Q

Describe the discriminate (specific) attachments stage

A

Infant shows preference for one caregiver and shows separation and stranger anxiety. Show joy upon reunion and comforted by primary caregiver.

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18
Q

Describe the multiple attachments stage

A

Form attachments with several different people (siblings, grandparents etc.)–> secondary attachments.

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19
Q

Which study showed support for the stages of attachment?

A

Schaffer and Emerson (1964).

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20
Q

Describe the procedure of the Schaffer and Emerson study (1964)

A

Studied 60 babies from Glasgow, working class families. Babies and mothers visited at home every month for 1st year and at 18 months. Mothers asked about separation and stranger anxiety.

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21
Q

Describe the findings of Schaffer and Emerson

A

50% babies showed separation anxiety to usually the mother at 25-32 weeks. 40 weeks- 80% had specific attachment, 30% had multiple attachments.

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22
Q

What is an issue with the sample used in the Schaffer and Emerson study?

A

It is not representative of the wider population- families all from Glasgow and working class.

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23
Q

State another issue with the Schaffer and Emerson study other than the unrepresentative sample?

A

It was carried out in the 1960s and a lot has changed since this time.

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24
Q

What does early research suggest about attachment?

A

Focused mainly on mother and baby attachment and role of father in development of attachment is often neglected.

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25
Q

Describe what Schaffer and Emerson found in terms of whether infants attach to their father and when

A

Majority of babies become attached to mother around 7 months. Only 3% of cases showed attachment to the father first. In 27% of cases the father was the joint first object of attachment with mother. BUT most fathers do go on to become important attachment figure–> 75% of babies formed an attachment with their father by 18 months.

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26
Q

Which study suggested that the role of the father more to do with play and stimulation?

A

Grossman (2002).

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27
Q

Describe the procedure of Grossman (2002)

A

Longitudinal study of 44 families. Compared the mothers’ and fathers’ role in the development of their children’s attachment at 6, 10 and 16 years.

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28
Q

Describe the findings of Grossman (2002)

A

Quality of infant attachment with mothers related to attachments in adolescence. But quality of father’s play was related to attachments in adolescence.

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29
Q

Which study suggested that fathers can act as primary caregivers?

A

Field (1978).

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30
Q

Describe the procedure of Field (1978)

A

Filmed 4-month old babies interactions with primary caregiver mothers and fathers and secondary caregiver fathers.

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31
Q

Describe the findings of Field (1978)

A

Primary caregiver fathers had more face-to-face interactions (like primary caregiver mothers) compared to secondary caregiver fathers.

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32
Q

What are the conclusions drawn from Field’s study?

A

Fathers do have the potential to provide responsiveness required for close emotional attachment but only express this when given the role of primary caregiver.

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33
Q

Which is more important when developing attachments- gender or behaviour?

A

Behaviour.

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34
Q

What is imprinting?

A

An innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the first moving object seen which normally takes place during the first few hours after birth.

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35
Q

What are the long-lasting effects of imprinting?

A

It affects later mating preferences and it is irreversible.

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36
Q

What is sexual imprinting?

A

Animals (especially birds) will choose to mate with the same kind of object upon which they imprinted.

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37
Q

What is the study which shows evidence for imprinting?

A

Lorenz (1952).

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38
Q

Describe the procedure of Lorenz’s study

A
  • Split a clutch of geese- one half hatched with mother and other hatched in incubator- Lorenz was the first moving object they encountered.
  • Lorenz recorded their behaviour.
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39
Q

Describe the findings of Lorenz’s study

A
  • Naturally hatched goslings followed mother, incubator ones followed Lorenz.
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40
Q

Which study showed evidence that attachment is not based on the feeding bond?

A

Harlow (1958).

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41
Q

What is the critical period in animals?

A

A mother figure has to be introduced to an infant within 90 days for an attachment to form. After this time the damage caused by early deprivation is irreversible.

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42
Q

Describe the procedure of Harlow’s study

A

*Reared 16 baby monkeys with two wire ‘mothers’.
*Condition 1= wire mother dispensed milk/condition 2= cloth mother dispensed milk.
*measured time spent with each mother and observed reactions of monkeys when frightened.

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43
Q

Describe the findings of Harlow’s study

A

Regardless of which mother dispensed milk, monkeys always preferred the cloth mother.

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44
Q

What were some of the long-lasting effects of maternal deprivation on the monkeys?

A

They grew up to be more aggressive, less social and some attached their own children or even killed them.

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45
Q

According to Lorenz is imprinting reversible or irreversible?

A

Irreversible.

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46
Q

What is the cupboard love approach?

A

Infants attach to the person who provides them with food.

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47
Q

What is the main assumption of learning theory?

A

We learn from the environment and our experiences and we are all born as blank slates.

48
Q

Which 2 researchers proposed the cupboard love approach?

A

John Dollard and Neal Miller.

49
Q

Through which two processes do we learn to develop attachments according to learning theory?

A

Classical and operant conditioning.

50
Q

How do infants develop attachment through classical conditioning?

A

Infants learn to associate the unconditioned stimulus of food with the caregiver.

51
Q

Name the unconditioned and neutral stimulus when babies learn to attach through classical conditioning

A

UCS= food
NS= mother.

52
Q

What is drive reduction theory?

A

When an animal is uncomfortable and this creates a drive to reduce that discomfort.

53
Q

How do infants learn to form attachments through operant conditioning?

A

When child is hungry they experience discomfort and have a drive to reduce this. They will cry- causes mother to feed them and drive is reduced= feelings of pleasure. Acts as negative reinforcement- infant has escaped something unpleasant. Behaviour that led to being fed= more likely to be repeated–> brings caregiver closer and leads to dev. of attachment.

54
Q

What is the primary and secondary reinforcer in operant conditioning?

A

Food= primary reinforcer (supplies reward)
Caregiver= secondary reinforcer as they bring the food (they are associated with the food).

55
Q

What is Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment?

A

Animals and humans have an innate tendency to form attachments. This is rooted in evolutionary theory.

56
Q

How are attachments adaptive?

A

Attachments give our species an advantage as they make us more likely to survive as the infant is kept safe, given food, kept warm etc.

57
Q

Define social releasers

A

Innate social behaviours or characteristics which elicit caregiving and leads to attachment.

58
Q

What are the two types of social releasers?

A

Behavioural and physical.

59
Q

Give two behavioural social releasers

A

Crying and cooing.

60
Q

What is a physical social releaser?

A

Baby face features and body proportions.

61
Q

What is the critical period in humans?

A

Babies have to form an attachment within the first 2 years of their life otherwise their development will be damaged.

62
Q

What is monotropy?

A

Infants form one very special emotional bond (the primary attachment relationship).

63
Q

What is the internal working model?

A

A mental schema for relationships based on the attachment with our primary caregiver. All child’s future adult relationships will be based on this.

64
Q

What is the law of continuity?

A

A high quality relationship with the primary caregiver in infancy will lead to higher quality childhood and adult relationships and vice versa for poorer quality relationships.

65
Q

What is the Strange Situation?

A

A systematic way to test the nature of attachment between infant and caregiver.

66
Q

What are the 7 stages of the Strange Situation?

A
  1. Infant and caregiver play
  2. Stranger enters
  3. Caregiver leaves
  4. Caregiver returns and stranger leaves
  5. Caregiver leaves
  6. Stranger returns
  7. Caregiver returns.
67
Q

Which 4 types of behaviours was the Strange Situation testing for?

A
  1. Separation anxiety
  2. Stranger anxiety
  3. Secure-base behaviour
  4. Reunion behaviour.
68
Q

In the first stage when caregiver and infant are playing together which behaviour is this testing for?

A

Secure-base behaviour.

69
Q

What are the three types of attachment Ainsworth found?

A

Secure, insecure-resistant, insecure-avoidant.

70
Q

What is a secure attachment?

A

X Shows secure-base behaviour
X Moderate levels of separation and stranger anxiety
X Easily comforted when mother returns.

71
Q

What is an insecure-avoidant attachment?

A

X Does not use mother as a secure base and comfortable to explore
X Low levels of separation and stranger anxiety
X Shows little interest when mother returns.

72
Q

What is an insecure-resistant attachment?

A

X Not confident to explore and clings to mother
X Extreme levels of separation and stranger anxiety
X Reunion behaviour- seeks mother and rejects her e.g. may push her away.

73
Q

Describe the findings of the Strange Situation

A

UK: Secure= 60-75%, Insecure-avoidant= 20-25%, insecure-resistant= 3%.

74
Q

Define cultural variation

A

The differences in norms and values that exist between people in different groups.

75
Q

Define an individualist culture

A

Emphasis on personal independence and achievement at the expense of group goals. Strong sense of competition (e.g UK, USA etc.).

76
Q

Define a collectivist culture

A

Emphasis on family and work goals above individual needs and desires. There is a high degree of interdependence between people (e.g. China).

77
Q

State the three main studies carried out on cultural variations

A
  1. Van IJzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988)= Meta-analysis
  2. Jin et al. (2012)= Korea
  3. Simonelli et al. (2014) Italy.
78
Q

Describe the procedure of Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study

A

Meta-analysis of Strange Situation and combined findings of 32 other Strange Situation studies from a variety of different countries.

79
Q

State the three main findings from Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study

A
  1. Secure attachment= most common
  2. Insecure-avoidant= Highest % in Germany
  3. Insecure-resistant= least common overall, but highest in Japan.
80
Q

Was the variation greater between or within cultures in Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study?

A

Within cultures- 1.5 times greater.

81
Q

Explain why insecure-avoidant was the highest in Germany?

A

German caregivers bring up children to be independent.

82
Q

Explain why insecure-resistant was highest in Japan?

A

Japan= collectivist culture. Japanese infants are v. rarely left by their mothers.

83
Q

How does Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg’s study show support for Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

A

Cultural similarity of secure being most common–> suggests attachment is innate.

84
Q

Which other study showed evidence for high levels of insecure-resistant in Asian countries?

A

Jin et al. (2012): Compared attachment types in Korea to other studies using the Strange Situation to assess 87 children. Proportions of insecure and secure babies= similar to most countries. Higher levels of insecure-resistant.

85
Q

What other study showed evidence high levels of insecure-avoidant in Italy?

A

Simonelli et al. (2014).

86
Q

What is the maternal deprivation hypothesis?

A

Prolonged separation from the primary caregiver can have a detrimental effect on the emotional and intellectual development of an infant.

87
Q

State two areas of development affected by maternal deprivation

A

Emotional development (affectionless psychopathy) and intellectual development.

88
Q

Define affectionless psychopathy

A

Inability to experience guilt or emotions for others. It is associated with criminality.

89
Q

State two areas of development affected by maternal deprivation.

A

Emotional development (affectionless psychopathy) and intellectual development.

90
Q

Define affectionless psychopathy.

A

Inability to experience guilt or emotions for others. It is associated with criminality.

91
Q

Name a study which shows a link between maternal deprivation and poor intellectual development.

A

Goldfarb (1947).

92
Q

Describe the procedure of Goldfarb’s study.

A

Group 1- first few months in orphanage and then fostered. Group 2- First 3 years in orphanage and then fostered. IQ tested up until age of 12.

93
Q

Describe the findings of Goldfarb’s study.

A

Group 2 performed less well on IQ test (68) compared to group 1 (96).

94
Q

Name a study which shows a link between maternal deprivation and poor emotional development.

A

Bowlby’s 44 Thieves (1944).

95
Q

Describe the procedure of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study.

A

Case studies completed on backgrounds of 44 adolescents who were referred to clinic because they had been stealing. Was a control group of emotionally disturbed adolescents who didn’t steal for comparison.

96
Q

Describe the findings of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study.

A

17 of the thieves had experienced frequent separations from mother before age of 2, compared to 2 in control group. 14 thieves diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths. 12/14 experienced separation from mothers. Long-term separation from main caregiver early in life can have harmful consequences.

97
Q

Define institutionalisation.

A

The social, mental and physical effects of living in an institutional setting (such as hospital or orphanage).

98
Q

Name two orphan studies which investigate the effects of institutionalisation.

A
  1. Rutter’s ERA study (2011). 2. The Bucharest Early Intervention project (2005)- Zeanah et al.
99
Q

What are four effects of institutionalisation?

A
  1. Mental retardation (low IQ). 2. Disinhibited attachment (form of insecure attachment- child is equally friendly towards strangers). 3. Physical underdevelopment (dwarfism). 4. Poor parenting (e.g. Harlow’s monkeys).
100
Q

What was the procedure of Rutter’s ERA study?

A

Longitudinal, natural experiment. Followed group of 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain. Physical, cognitive and emotional development assessed at 4, 6, 11 and 15. Group of 52 British children adopted at similar times= control group.

101
Q

What were the findings on IQ for Rutter’s ERA study?

A

Adopted before 6 months: IQ= 102. Adopted between 6 months and 2 years: IQ= 86. Adopted after 2 years: IQ= 77.

102
Q

What were the findings for Attachment type for Rutter’s ERA study?

A

Adopted after 6 months= dis-inhibited attachment. Adopted before 6 months rarely showed dis-inhibited attachment.

103
Q

What is the conclusion from Rutter’s study?

A

Intellectual development that is damaged can be recovered provided that adoption takes place before 6 months.

104
Q

What was the procedure of The Bucharest Early Intervention Project- Zeanah et al. (2005)?

A

Had experimental and control group. Experimental= 95 children between 12 and 31 months who had spent most of early lives in institutional care. Control group= 50 children who never experienced institutional care. Attachment type of both groups tested using Strange Situation and carers asked for behavioural characteristics of children (e.g. clinginess).

105
Q

What were the findings of The Bucharest Early Intervention Project?

A

74% of control group= securely attached. 65% of institutional group= disorganised attachment/44%= dis-inhibited attachment.

106
Q

What is a study that supports the idea that institutionalisation can lead to poor parenting?

A

Harlow’s monkeys.

107
Q

What is an internal working model?

A

A schema based on a person’s expectations of relationships as a result of their attachment with their primary caregiver.

108
Q

What are 3 types of relationships in later life that early attachment can have an impact on?

A
  1. Romantic Relationships. 2. Childhood relationships. 3. Relationship with own child as parents.
109
Q

State a study which has shown a link between romantic relationships and early attachment.

A

Hazan and Shaver (1987).

110
Q

What 3 things did Hazan and Shaver’s ‘Love Quiz’ Assess?

A
  1. Current/most important relationship. 2. Attitudes towards love (assessment of IWM). 3. Current and childhood attachments.
111
Q

What were the findings of Hazan and Shaver’s study?

A

A positive correlation between attachment type and experiences of love. Secure attachment= Romantic relationships lasted on average 10 years. Insecure-resistant= 5 years. Insecure-avoidant= 6 years.

112
Q

State 2 studies which have shown a link between childhood relationships and early attachment.

A
  1. Sroufe et al. (2005)= Minnesota parent-child study. 2. Myron-Wilson & Smith (1998).
113
Q

Describe the Minnesota parent-child study (2005).

A

Followed participants from infancy to late adolescence. Securely attached infants- highest rated for social competence, less isolated and more popular in later childhood.

114
Q

Describe the study carried out by Myron-Wilson & Smith (1998).

A

Assessed children aged between 7 and 11 from London using questionnaires. Found secure children= less likely to be involved in bullying, insecure-resistant= more likely to be bullies, insecure-avoidant= more likely to be victims of bullying.

115
Q

State a study which has shown a link between poor parenting and early attachment.

A

Bailey et al. (2007).

116
Q

Describe the study carried out by Bailey et al. (2007).

A

Assessed 99 mothers with 1-year old baby on quality of attachment using Strange Situation. Also assessed quality of attachment of mothers with their own mothers when they were a child using an interview.

117
Q

What were the findings of Bailey et al.’s study?

A

Mothers who had poor attachments with their own mothers= more likely to have poor attachments with their own child.

Attachment Psychology (1 decks)

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