Attachment Theory Flashcards
What is Attachment Theory?
The origins
Emergence from psychoanalytic theory
Recognition of the importance of early relationships during
childhood for later personality development.
Increasing pressure to provide empirical evidence through carefully controlled experimental studies.
shift focus, social influecnes, critical attachment, lasting effects
John Bowlby’s view on the importance of attachment in early development
Shift in Focus: Moved from intrapsychic motivations to the role of family relationships, supported by empirical research.
Social Influences: Shaped by gender norms and the impact of war on societal roles.
Critical Attachment Period: Key window for attachment development, initially suggested as up to 2.5 years, later extended to 5 years.
Lasting Effects: Disruptions in early attachment impact emotions, cognition, and behavior.
Internal Working Models: Early attachment experiences shape relationship patterns into adulthood.
PDD
States of separation
Protest
Reaction: The child experiences intense distress and protests the separation by crying, calling out, or clinging to the caregiver.
Goal: Trying to bring the caregiver back.
Despair
Reaction: The child becomes withdrawn, loses interest in the environment, and shows signs of hopelessness.
Goal: Sadness and resignation set in as they realize the caregiver is not returning soon.
Detachment
Reaction: After prolonged separation, the child may show detachment, seeming to lose interest in the caregiver’s return.
Goal: The child begins to emotionally detach as a way to protect themselves from further distress.
The maternal deprivation hypothesis
A warm, intimate & continuous relationship with a mother (figure)” is necessary for healthy psychological/emotional development.
Septarian or disruption to attachment relationship to mother results in psychological deficits - at extreme end “affectionless character”
Milder cases: depression and difficulty manging emotions
Drew attention to the risks of institutional care, hospitalisation practices, inadequate care situations
Criticism of ‘maternal deprivation hypothesis’
Entrench gender roles- Constrain the freedom of women
Should focus on the quality of the attachment rather than just separation or loss of mother
Recognize the resilience of children in the face of adversity
Focus on the “good enough mother”
Shifts in attachment research
Like what do we consider important now
Recognition of caregivers rather mothers
Inclusion of other relationships (ie. aunty, uncle, siblings, grandparents etc)
Move from focus on only on children to recognition of adult attachment patterns
Studies exploring continuity or change in attachment patterns - ur attachment patterns can change
What is secure attachment
SECURE attachment (70%): The infant was distressed by mother’s departure but was easily comforted on her return
Parent:
Is sensitive, timely, responsive (safe haven)
Allows active exploration
Child
Better emotion regulation
Better social relationship
More persistent in challenging tasks
More resilient to later stress
What is DISMISSIVE-AVOIDANT insecure attachment
What attachment can this be mistaken for?
DISMISSIVE-AVOIDANT insecure attachment (20%): The infant not distressed by mother’s departure and showed little need for comfort on her return.
Parent:
Difficulty responding to child’s emotional needs
Child:
Learns to ‘shut down’ their emotional needs
Isolated = turning away from intimacy during times of stress/activation
Can be mistaken for secure attachment
What is RESISTANT (anxious-ambivalent or preoccupied) insecure attachment
RESISTANT (anxious-ambivalent or preoccupied) insecure attachment (10%): The infant showed distress on mother’s departure and unable to be comforted by her on return.
Parent:
Unpredictable, unreliable, mis-attuned
Child
Struggles with separation
Has to ‘turn up’ their signals to get their emotional needs met
Want help from parent but can become oppositional, frustrated, angry and distressed
What is DISORGANISED attachment (Mary Main & Judith Soloman):
DISORGANISED attachment (Mary Main & Judith Soloman): Contradictory and disorganised behaviour e.g. calling for mother and then pushing her away.
Parent
Paradox: Caregiver is source of fear AND the only source of potential comfort
Child
No organised system that will work
Emotion dysregulation
Increased rates of dissociative experiences
Associated with trauma/abuse
The relevance of Mary Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’ for
understanding attachment patterns.
What 3 attachment styles did the study identify
Took attachment into the laboratory – The Strange Situation which
looked at infant-caregiver (mother) attachment styles.
1. Parent and infant settle in room
2. Stranger enters
3. Mother leaves room
4. Stranger stays with infant
5. 1 st reunion (parent returns)
6. Mother leaves again
7. Stranger returns
8. 2 nd reunion (parent returns)
Secure, dismissive-avoidant, resistant (anxious-ambivalent or preoccupied) insecure attachment
SDAU
Adult attachment: Mary Main
- Secure-Autonomous
Characteristics: Balanced view of childhood and relationships.
Behavior: Open, reflective, emotionally regulated, comfortable with intimacy.
- Dismissing
Characteristics: Downplays attachment, values independence.
Behavior: Emotionally distant, avoids discussing feelings, idealizes relationships.
- Anxiously Preoccupied
Characteristics: Preoccupied with relationships, seeks constant validation.
Behavior: Overly emotional, anxious about rejection, difficulty regulating emotions.
- Unresolved/Disorganized
Characteristics: Linked to trauma or unresolved loss.
Behavior: Confused, contradictory, emotional dysregulation when discussing attachment.
Strengths and weaknesses of attachment theory
Strengths
- Draws attention to the importance of relationships
- Methods allow for empirical examination of core psychoanalytic ideas
- Ensures appropriate resourcing of early relationships
Weakness of Attachment Theory
- Reinforces gender stereotypes
- Places too much emphasis on individual rather than collective relationships e.g. collectivist cultures
- Neglects significance of broader social context e.g. poverty, racism etc
- Issues re continuity vs discontinuity
- Reifying and biologizing of attachment
