Attatchment Flashcards
Attachment
It is an emotional bond between two people. It is a two-way process in that endures over time. It leads to certain behaviours like clinging and proximity- seeking and serves as the function of protecting an infant.
Reciprocity
A description of how two people interact. Caregiver infant interactions is reciprocal in that they both respond to each others signals, and elicits a response from each other
Interactional Synchrony
When two people interact, they tend to mirror each other in terms of facial and bodily movements. This includes imitating emotions as well as behaviours. This is described as synchrony - when two (or more) things move in the same pattern.
Caregiver
Any person who provides care for a child eg: parent, grandparent siblings etc.
Limitation of caregiver infant interactions (1)
P- Research into caregiver infant interaction is socially sensitive.
E- This is because it suggests children maybe at a disadvantage of these child rearing practices, as mothers go back to work early, therefore restricting the development of interactional synchrony.
T- Therefore this suggests that the research has socially sensitive implications.
Limitation of Caregiver infant interactions (2)
P- It is difficult to know what is happening when observing infants.
E- This is as it is difficult to be certain what is happening based on these observations, and what is taking place from an infants perspective, E.G: are the infants expressions deliberate from the adults signals. So we can’t know if the behaviour has special meaning.
T- Therefore any conclusions drawn are simply based on biased interpretations reducing validity of the findings.
Strength of interactional synchrony (1)
P- Interactional synchrony was observed in infants as young as 2 weeks old.
E-Meltzoff and Moore (1977) found there was an association between the expression or gesture the adult displayed to the babies and the action of the babies.
T- Therefore supporting interactional synchrony because the baby and adult seemed to mirror each other.
Strength of infant interaction (2)
P- Research in caregiver interaction has practical applications.
E-Meltzoff and Moore’s (1977) demonstration with 3 day old babies led to changes in maternity wards and where babies are kept.
T- Therefore research in caregiver infant interaction has applied to maternity wards and the real world.
Tronick (1978) still face experiment. (Reciprocity)
-Where the mother holds the baby and is asked to hold a ‘still face’ in which she does not react to the babies behaviour.
-In general the baby will become agitated by failed attempts to evoke a reaction in the mother.
-Therefore this shows the importance of reciprocity in a child’s wellbeing.
-Lab experiment.
Meltzoff and Moore (1977)
(Interactional synchrony)
-Meltzoff an Moore (1977) conducted the first systematic study of interactional synchrony, and found that infants 2-3 weeks old imitated specific facial and hand gestures.
- Study conducted with adult who done facial/ hand movements.
- Dummy placed in babies mouth to limit any response.
-Dummy then removed and expression filmed.
-Found an association of the gesture of the adult and action of baby. Therefore supporting interactional synchrony as seemed to mirror each other’s behaviour.
Stages of Attachment Defintion
The characteristic of an infant’s behaviour towards other change as the infant gets older.
Primary attachment figure
The person who has formed the closest bond with a child, demonstrated by the intensity of the relationship. Usually the child’s biological mother but any person can fulfil the role.
Separation anxiety
The distress shown by an infant when separated from their caregiver.
Stranger Anxiety
The distress shown by an infant when approached or picked up by someone who is unfamiliar.
Stages of Attachement order
Stage 1- Asocial Stage (new born)
Stage 2 - Indiscriminate stage( 2-7 m)
Stage 3-Specific Attachment stage(7m)
Stage 4-Multiple Attachment Stage(1yr
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) Study
Method=
-60 babies 31 male 29 female from working class homes in Glasgow.
-Babies and mother visited every month for 1 year then again at 18 months.
-Observation and interviews were used and attachment behaviours studied.
-Mothers were questioned about what babies shown in 7 everyday situations e.g adult leaving the room ( separation anxiety) and stranger anxiety.
Findings=
-Attachment behaviour developed in stages linked to age.
- 50% of babies showed separation anxiety- usually to the mother at 25-32 weeks.
-Fear of strangers tended to follow a month later.
- Almost 30% of babies showed multiple attachment at around 10 months of age.
Stage 1 Asocial Stage
- First few weeks
- Babies Behaviour to non-human objects and humans are quite similar.
- Show some preference of the company with familiar people in that those individuals find it easier to calm them down.
-Happier in the presence of other humans.
Stage 2 : Indiscriminate Stage
- 2-7 months
-Clear preference for humans than inanimate objects.
-still accept comfort from any person
-recognise and prefer familiar adults - DOES NOT show separation or stranger anxiety.
Stage 3: Specific Attachment stage
- Approx 7 months
-Start to display anxiety towards strangers and become anxious when separated from attachment figure ( mainly the mother)
-Baby has now formed specific attachment, not to those who they spend more time with but the mother who offers interactional signals to the baby. (65% of the time the mother)
Stage 4: Multiple Attachment Stage
- Age 1yrs old
-After the baby shows attachment to 1 person they extend the behaviour to multiple attachments. Secondary attachment.
-29% form secondary attachment 1 month after forming primary attachment.
Strength of Schaffer and Emerson
P- One strength is the supporting stage of the research may have high internal validity.
E- This is because Schaffer and Emerson used a combination of methods of data collection. These included observations and interviews which would have validated each other suggesting that the data was true.
T- Therefore this provides strong evidence to support the stage of the theory of attachments.
Limitation of Schaffer and Emerson (1)
P- One limitation of Schaffer and Emerson is it maybe unreliable.
E- This is because it was based on mother’s reports of their infants, as some mothers may have been less sensitive to the protest of babies, then not reporting them. Also some mothers may have been concerned what investigator may think of them therefore altering their response to a socially desirable manner.
T- Therefore this would create systematic bias, challenging the validity of the data.
Limitation of Schaffer and Emerson (2)
P- One limitation is the research may have been biased.
E- This is because findings were only from the working class, that also in Glasgow, therefore only applying to a certain group. Perhaps if it had also be done on children in middle/ high class findings would have been different as they may have nannies or childcare meaning they may form multiple attachments earlier.
T- Therefore questioning the validity, application and generalisation of the results to other babies.
Limitation of Schaffer and Emerson (3)
P- The findings of Schaffer and Emerson may not be reliable in the modern day.
E- This is because it reflects the child rearing practices of 1960s, where most childcare was carried out by mothers, who were less likely to work outside. As of modern day, fathers take a more of an active role in caring for children, as stay at home fathers had quadrupled over the past 25 yrs.
T- Therefore the research is not up to date so not 100% reliable.
Animal Studies
In psychology these are carried out on non-human animal species rather than humans for practical and ethical reasons. Practical because psychologists are interested in seeing results across more than one generation of animals.
