Attatchment Flashcards
What are the evaluation points for caregiver and infant interactions?
+) controlled observations
-) unclear whether actions are meaningful or not
-) role in communication development
How are controlled observations a strength of reciprocty and interactional synchrony?
P: Controlled observations ensure accuracy and reliability.
Ev: Brazleton et al. filmed interactions from multiple angles, enabling detailed analysis and inter-rater reliability.
Ex: Provides objective evidence, enhancing validity.
L: Boosts confidence in conclusions about attachment behaviors.
How is unclear meaning of infant behaviour a limitation of research on reciprocity and interactional synchrony?
P: Observations may not reflect meaningful behavior.
Ev: Bremner suggests infants show reciprocity without understanding it.
Ex: This challenges the idea these behaviors show conscious bonding.
L: Highlights a key limitation in studying infant-caregiver interactions.
How is having a role in communication development a strength of RECIPROCITY AND interactional synchrony?
P: Reciprocity and interactional synchrony aid communication skills.
Ev: Brazleton et al. and Condon and Sander found early interactions coordinate movements and speech.
Ex: Supports language development and bonding.
L: Helps parents promote better long-term child outcomes.
What is attachment?
Attachment is a strong reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and their primary caregiver.
What does the term “reciprocal” mean in attachment?
: Reciprocal refers to a two-way process where both the caregiver and child contribute to and respond to the interaction.
How did Brazleton et al demonstrate reciprocity?
They found that infants as young as two weeks attempt to copy their caregiver’s behavior, with caregivers responding to the infants’ signals two-thirds of the time.
Why is reciprocity important for infant development?
It helps infants learn to communicate and enables caregivers to respond effectively to the infant’s cues, meeting their needs better.
What is interactional synchrony?
Interactional synchrony occurs when the caregiver and infant mirror or synchronize their interactions, such as matching facial expressions or gestures.
What did Condon and Sander (1974) discover about interactional synchrony?
They observed that infants synchronize their movements with the rhythm of an adult’s voice.
How does interactional synchrony benefit later communication?
It helps establish better communication skills between the parent and child as the child grows older.
What methodological strength supports the research on reciprocity and synchrony?
Controlled observations, such as those by Brazleton et al, allow for detailed and reliable analysis, including inter-rater reliability.
What limitation does Bremner highlight regarding infant behaviors in studies?
Bremner noted that infants’ behaviors may not reflect an understanding of the interaction’s purpose, making it unclear if actions are meaningful.
How do pitch, rhythm, and volume affect interactional synchrony?
: These aspects of an adult’s speech influence the way an infant synchronizes their movements, highlighting the dynamic nature of early interactions.
What are the evaluation points for Shaffer’s stages of attachment?
+) high ecological validity
-) potential lack of internal validity
-) difficult to study asocial stage
How is having high ecological validity a strength of Shaffer’s stages of attachment?
P: Schaffer’s study has high ecological validity.
Ev: Conducted in infants’ homes, observing natural caregiver interactions.
Ex: Findings reflect real-life attachment behaviors, increasing applicability.
L: The naturalistic design enhances reliability in understanding attachment development.
How is Difficulty studying the asocial stage a limitation of the sHAFFER’S stages of attachment?
P: The asocial stage cannot be studied objectively.
Ev: Infants under six weeks have limited coordination, making responses unclear.
Ex: Bremner’s distinction shows observable behaviors may not indicate genuine attachment.
L: Thus, causal conclusions about attachment in this stage are problematic.
How is a potential lack of validity a limitation of Shaffer’s stages of attachment?
P: The study may lack internal validity due to self-report methods.
Ev: Parents kept diaries, susceptible to bias or inaccuracies.
Ex: This could lead to skewed data, overreporting positive or underreporting negative behaviors.
L: Conclusions may not fully reflect actual attachment behaviors.
What was the aim of Schaffer and Emerson’s study?
To identify stages of attachment and find a pattern in the development of attachment between infants and parents.
Who were the participants in Schaffer’s study?
60 babies from Glasgow, mostly from working-class families.
What methods were used to measure attachment in the study?
Separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, and social referencing were observed, alongside interviews with carers.
What is the asocial stage, and when does it occur?
: Occurring from 0-6 weeks, the infant responds similarly to people and objects but may show a preference for faces.
What happens during the indiscriminate attachment stage?
Between 6 weeks and 6 months, infants develop responses to human company and can be comforted by anyone, despite recognizing different individuals.
What defines the specific attachment stage, and when does it begin?
Starting at 7 months, infants show a preference for a particular caregiver and display separation and stranger anxiety.
What is the multiple attachment stage?
Beginning at 10-11 months, infants form attachments with multiple individuals, such as fathers, siblings, and family friends.
What was a key finding regarding “sensitive responsiveness”?
Sensitive responsiveness, rather than time spent with the infant, was critical in forming stronger attachments.
What role do communication and play have in attachment formation?
Attachments were found to form through communication and play rather than caregiving tasks like feeding or cleaning.
What were the limitations identified in Schaffer’s research?
Lack of population validity, reliance on self-reports, and difficulty objectively studying the asocial stage were major limitations.
What did Schaffer and Emerson’s findings suggest about the role of the father?
The father is important but is less likely to be the primary attachment figure.
What are the evaluation points for the role of the father?
+) fathers can fulfill the primary caregiver role
-) disputed role of father
-) social and biological constraints
How is father’s fulfilling the primary caregiver role a strength of the role of the father?
Point: Fathers can form strong primary attachments when assuming the role of primary caregiver.
Evidence: Tiffany Field’s research demonstrated that primary caregiver fathers were just as nurturing and attentive as mothers, spending more time holding, smiling, and engaging with their infants.
Explain: This suggests that attachment formation depends on the caregiver’s behavior, not their gender.
Link: Therefore, the father’s role in attachment is flexible, highlighting that gender stereotypes are not biologically determined.
How is the disputed role of the father a limitation of the role of the father?
Point: The role of the father in attachment is still disputed.
Evidence: MacCallum and Golombok found no differences in development between children raised in homosexual or single-parent families compared to those in heterosexual families.
Explain: If the father’s role were essential, we would expect to see negative developmental outcomes in the absence of a father figure.
Link: This suggests that the father’s role may not be as critical as previously assumed.
What did Tiffany Field observe about primary caregiver fathers?
Primary caregiver fathers were just as nurturing and attentive as mothers, spending more time holding, smiling, and engaging with the infant.
How are social and biological constraints limitations of the role of the father?
Point: Social and biological factors may limit the father’s role as the primary attachment figure.
Evidence: Societal norms and higher levels of oxytocin in women may predispose mothers to be the primary caregivers.
Explain: These factors might explain why mothers are often expected to fulfill the role of primary attachment figures more than fathers.
Link: Therefore, social and biological influences must be considered when evaluating the father’s role in attachment
What proportion of infants formed a secondary attachment with their father within a month of forming a primary attachment?
29%
What percentage of infants formed a secondary attachment with their father by 18 months in Schaffer and Emerson’s study?
75%
How does MacCallum and Golombok’s research challenge the importance of the father in attachment?
It suggests that a father’s role may not be crucial for normal development.
What does Tiffany Field’s study suggest about gender and primary caregiving roles?
Gender does not determine the ability to form a strong primary attachment; behavior is more important.
What did MacCallum and Golombok find regarding children raised in homosexual or single-parent families?
These children showed no differences in development compared to those raised in heterosexual families.
Why is research into primary attachment figures considered socially sensitive?
It may place pressure on single parents or discourage them from returning to work early, due to concerns about secure attachment formation.
What societal factor might influence who becomes the primary attachment figure?
Answer: Gender norms and expectations in society may influence caregiving roles.
What biological factor is suggested to predispose women to be primary attachment figures
Higher levels of oxytocin in women
What are the evaluation points for animal studies of attachment?
+) practical value
-) ethical issues
-) limited generalisability to humans
What is imprinting as demonstrated by Lorenz
Imprinting is the attachment to the first moving object or person an animal sees directly after birth.
What was the critical period for attachment development in Lorenz’s study?
: The first 30 months of life.
What was Lorenz’s finding regarding sexual imprinting?
Animals display sexual behaviors toward the first moving object they see after birth, such as a peacock preferring turtles due to early exposure.
What limitation was identified regarding sexual imprinting?
Guiton et al found it is not permanent, as chickens initially imprinted on washing up gloves eventually preferred other chickens.
What was Harlow’s conclusion about the importance of contact comfort?
Contact comfort is more important than food in the development of attachments.
What were the long-term effects on monkeys in Harlow’s study?
They were less skilled at mating, socially reclusive, and aggressive toward their offspring.
How did Harlow’s research contribute to practical applications?
: It influenced zoo design and animal shelter practices to ensure animals could form secure attachments.
What ethical issues are associated with Harlow’s research?
The monkeys suffered psychological harm, including social and emotional developmental issues.
Why are Lorenz’s findings considered to have limited generalizability?
Mammalian attachment systems differ from birds, making Lorenz’s conclusions less applicable to humans.
What did Harlow’s study suggest about the critical period for attachment in monkeys?
A secure attachment must form within the first 30 months to avoid irreversible developmental issues.
How are practical applications a strength of animal studies into attatchment?
Point: Harlow’s research has significant practical value.
Evidence: It influenced the design of zoos and animal shelters, emphasizing the importance of attachment figures, intellectual stimulation, and contact comfort for healthy development.
Explain: These findings have improved the welfare and care of animals, ensuring better psychological and social development.
Link: Thus, Harlow’s work has had a lasting positive impact on animal care and broader attachment theory.
How are ethical issues of animal studies into attachment a strength?
Point: Harlow’s studies had significant ethical concerns.
Evidence: The monkeys experienced long-term psychological harm, such as difficulties mating, social reclusion, and poor attachment with offspring.
Explain: These ethical breaches question the moral justification of such experiments, even if the findings were valuable.
Link: This highlights the need for careful cost-benefit analyses in animal research, balancing knowledge gains against ethical costs.
How is limited generalisability a limitation of animal studies of attachment?
Point: Lorenz’s findings may not generalize to humans.
Evidence: Mammalian attachment systems differ significantly from birds, as mammals can form attachments at any life stage and with greater emotional intensity.
Explain: This limits the ecological validity of Lorenz’s findings since human attachment cannot be fully explained using bird behavior.
Link: Therefore, caution should be exercised when applying Lorenz’s conclusions to human attachment theory.
What are the evaluation points for the learning theory of attachment?
-) contradicted by animal studies
+) ignores important human behaviours
-) alternative theories provide better explanations
How is being contradicted by animal studies a limitation of the learning theory of attachment?
Point: Learning theory is contradicted by animal studies.
Evidence: Harlow’s study found baby monkeys formed attachments based on comfort, not food.
Explain: This shows that emotional security is more critical than food in forming attachments, undermining the idea of “cupboard love.”
Link: Therefore, learning theory oversimplifies attachment by focusing only on food.
How is learning theory ignoring important human behaviours a limitation of the learning theory of attachment?
Point: Learning theory ignores important human behaviors.
Evidence: Brazleton et al. highlighted the role of interactional synchrony and reciprocity in forming secure attachments.
Explain: These social and emotional factors are not explained by the stimulus-response mechanisms of learning theory.
Link: This makes learning theory a limited explanation of attachment formation.
How is alternative theories providing better explanations a limitation of the learning theory of attachment?
Point: Alternative theories provide better explanations.
Evidence: Bowlby’s monotropic theory explains attachment as adaptive for survival and emotional development.
Explain: Unlike learning theory, it incorporates comfort, security, and evolutionary needs.
Link: This makes Bowlby’s theory a more comprehensive and valid explanation than learning theory.
How does learning theory view children?
As blank slates who learn everything, including attachments, through experiences.
