Attachment, The Self and Gender Development Flashcards
What is the term used to describe a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space?
Attachment
Who are the 2 key researchers of Attachment?
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth
Why is attachment necessary?
Human infants are more vulnerable than infants from other species, thus they require more help from their caregiver, have less independence at a young age and have more attachment towards their caregiver
Apart from comparing human infant vulnerability with other animals, why is attachment necessary?
- As a result of human infant vulnerability and the inability to look after themselves, infants must maintain proximity to the source of care
- Infant requires greater investment from the mother/primary caregiver
- Effective strategies to elicit attachment between caregiver and child are needed for survival
Which researcher did early work with maladjusted children?
John Bowlby
Which researcher suggested that attachment supports the relationship between the primary caregiver and infant?
John Bowlby
Which researcher worked with children under incidences of large-scale separations (e.g., evacuation)
Simply = Worked with children who were separated from their caregivers during WW2
John Bowlby
Which researcher conducted research on forty-four juvenile thieves (1944)?
John Bowlby
What did Bowlby discover in his research of forty-four juvenile thieves (1944)?
A majority of the juvenile thieves had disruptions in relationships with their primary caregivers
e.g. multiple foster home histories
What does competence-motivated mean?
Infants use their caregiver as a secure base
What do the results of Bowlby’s forty-four juvenile thieves study suggest?
That weak relationships and weak early attachments with caregivers affect children’s behaviour and development
What was John Bowlby’s study inspired by?
1) Lorenz’s imprinting behaviours research
2) Harry Harlow’s attachment in rhesus monkeys research
Who conducted an attachment study on rhesus monkeys?
Harry Harlow
What happened in Harlow’s rhesus monkey study?
1) Baby rhesus monkeys were separated from their biological mothers
2) The baby monkeys were presented with two artificial “mothers”
- 1 mother provided them with food (wire mother)
- 1 mother gave them comfort with their soft “skin” (cloth mother)
3) The baby rhesus monkeys felt attached to the cloth mother even when they were fed by the wire mother
What do the results in Harlow’s rhesus monkey study suggest about early attachment?
Children develop a connection with a caregiver through warmth and comfort rather than solely for food and survival reasons
What is the term used to describe when children develop a connection with a caregiver through warmth and comfort rather than solely for food and survival reasons?
Contact comfort
Which researcher proposed the attachment theory?
John Bowlby
What did John Bowlby suggest in his attachment theory?
- Proposed that attachment is developed over 4 phases to a secure base
- A primary caregiver’s presence provides an infant or toddler with a sense of security that makes it possible for the infant to explore their environment
What is the internal working model of attachment based on?
It is based on the extent to which caregivers of infants can be depended on to satisfy the infant’s needs and provide a sense of security for exploration
According to Bowlby, what are the 4 phases of attachment?
- Preattachment phase
- Attachment-in-the-making
- Clear-cut attachment
- Reciprocal relationships
According to Bowlby, at what age do infants go through the preattachment stage?
From birth to 6 weeks
According to Bowlby, at what age do infants go through the attachment-in-the-making stage?
From 6 weeks to 6-8 months
According to Bowlby, at what age do infants go through the clear-cut attachment stage?
From 6-8 months to 1-2 years
According to Bowlby, at what age do infants go through the reciprocal relationships stage?
From 1-2 years onwards
According to Bowlby what happens in the preattachment stage?
The infant produces innate signals that bring others to their side and is comforted by the interaction that follows
e.g. Infant cries as a way to get attention and is comforted when their primary caregiver hugs them
According to Bowlby what happens in the attachment-in-the-making stage?
The phase in which infants begin to respond preferentially to familiar people
e.g. Infants start to differentiate between their caregiver and other people
According to Bowlby what happens in the clear-cut attachment stage?
When the infant actively seeks contact with their regular caregivers and typically shows separation protest or distress when the caregiver departs (separation anxiety)
According to Bowlby what happens in the reciprocal relationships stage?
Involves children taking an active role in developing working partnerships with their caregivers
At which attachment phase will infants act cute as a reward for the caregiver investing their time into caring for them?
Attachment-in-the-making phase
At which attachment stage would infants resist being separated from their primary caregiver?
Clear-cut attachment phase
At which attachment stage would the infant initiate a give-and-take relationship between them and the caregiver?
Reciprocal relationship phase
Which researcher extended Bowlby’s theory of attachment and emphasised the concept of the primary giver as a secure base?
Mary Ainsworth
Which researcher conducted observations of mothers and babies in Uganda and Baltimore?
Mary Ainsworth
Who was the first researcher to focus on attachment security?
Mary Ainsworth
Who was the first researcher to focus the making and breaking of attachment?
John Bowlby
Which researcher was the first to note individual differences in attachment relationships?
Mary Ainsworth
According to Mary Ainsworth, what were the 2 key factors providing insight into the quality of an infant’s attachment to their caregiver?
1) The extent to which the infant uses the caregiver as a secure base
2) How infants reacted when they are separated from their caregiver
Which researcher proposed the “strange situation” test?
Mary Ainsworth