Attatchment

Question 1

Define attachment

Answer 1

An attachment can be defined as a close two-way emotional bond between a caregiver and infant in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security, this develops over the first year and endures.

Question 2

Describe research into caregiver-infant interactions

Answer 2

Caregiver-infant interaction is a two-way/mutual process; each party responds to the others’ signals to sustain interaction (turn-taking). The behaviour of each party elicits a response from the other. This interaction is known as reciprocity.

Another interaction known as interactional synchrony refers to the actions and emotions of the caregiver and infant mirroring each other so that they occur close in time.

Tronick (1979) conducted an experiment to investigate how a baby reacts to a mother’s frozen face. He found that babies would tempt their mothers into interaction using methods (social releases) they had previously used such as pointing and smiling. They became distressed when the smile did not provoke the usual response. Tronick concluded that babies expect and anticipate reciprocity.

Isabella (1989) conducted an experiment to investigate whether the degree of synchronicity affects the quality of mother-infant attachments. She and others observed 30 mothers and their babies together and assessed the degree of synchrony. The researchers also assessed the quality of the mother-infant attachment. They found that high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother-infant attachment. Isabella concluded that interactional synchrony has an important function in the development of attachments.

Question 3

Evaluate research into caregiver-infant interactions
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 3

One limitation of research into caregiver-infant interactions is the sample used. Tronick (1979) only looked at how a baby reacts to a mother’s frozen face. Isabella (1989) only looked at the impact of synchrony on mother-infant attachments. This makes it difficult to generalise findings about reciprocity and interactional synchrony to fathers, particularly as researchers have shown that fathers play a different role in attachment.

Question 4

Evaluate research into caregiver-infant interactions
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 4

One strength of the research into caregiver-infant interactions is that the response is filmed. This allows fine details to be captured that may be missed at the time of research. Furthermore, observations made at the time can be judged by other researchers to see if there is an agreement in what is being demonstrated and concluded. This increases the reliability of conclusions drawn from caregiver-infant interaction research.

Question 5

Evaluate research into caregiver-infant interactions
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 5

One strength of research into caregiver-infant interactions is that it has practical applications. Baby sign language enables babies who can’t interact yet to communicate and respond to their caregivers. Signing also helps mothers better respond to their baby’s needs as it is easier to read their demands. This is a strength as it shows that reciprocity is important for the development of attachment in real life.

Question 6

Describe Schaffer and Emmerson’s stages of attachment (1964)
A01

Answer 6

Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) studied 60 babies from working class families in Glasgow at monthly intervals for the first 18 moths of life (longitudinal study). The children were all studied in their own homes and a regular pattern was identified in the development of attachment. The interactions with carers were observed, and carers were interviewed. A diary was kept by the mother to examine the development of attachment.

The following measures were recorded: stranger anxiety (response to the arrival of a stranger), separation anxiety (distress level when separated from caregiver, degree of comfort need to return).

They discovered that babies attachment developed in the following sequence; asocial stage (0-6 weeks), indiscriminate stage (6 weeks to 7 months), specific attachment ( 7 months to 9 months) and finally, multiple attachment (10 months+).

Question 7

Evaluate Schaffer and Emmerson’s stages of attachment (1964)
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 7

One limitation of this research is that all the families involved were from the same social class, in the same city and was conducted over 50 years ago. Child-rearing practices vary from one culture to another and from one historical period to another. For example, today more women work meaning more children are cared for outside the home. This makes conclusions about what happens at each of the stages of attachment difficult to generalise.

Question 8

Evaluate Schaffer and Emmerson’s stages of attachment (1964)
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 8

There is research support to suggest the reality of these stages of attachment. Bowlby indicated that most if not all babies form attachments to a single main caregiver before they are able to form multiple attachments. However, research by Van Izjendoorn demonstrated that in some cultures multiple caregivers are the norm and that babies form multiple attachments form the outset. This reduces the reliability of the stages, as specific and multiple attachment stages may not be separate.

Question 9

Evaluate Schaffer and Emmerson’s stages of attachment (1964)
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 9

Due to their emphasis on the fact that babies do go on to form multiple attachments the use of key workers arose in childcare. This allows children to form multiple attachments away from their primary caregiver due to their increased interactions with this key worker. This helps to reduce or prevent separation anxiety which the child may experience from the primary caregiver as it reduces a child’s distress due to substitute caregiver. This may make working mothers feel less guilty returning to work, which has positive implications for the economy.

Question 10

Describe the Asocial Stage

Answer 10

Babies behaviour between humans and objects is quite similar

Question 11

Describe Indiscriminate attachment

Answer 11

Babies show a preference to people rather than objects. However, they don’t show separation or stranger anxiety so attachment behaviour is not different to any one person.

Question 12

Describe Specific attachment

Answer 12

From 7 months the majority of babies start to display anxiety towards strangers and become more anxious when separated from one particular adult (mother - 65%).

Question 13

Describe Multiple attachment

Answer 13

The baby becomes increasingly independent and forms several attachments. By 18 months the majority of infants have formed multiple attachments.

Question 14

Describe research into the role of the father in attachment

A01

Answer 14

Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) researched parent-infant attachments and found that the majority of babies became attached to their mothers’ first in the first 7 months - the mother is then known as the primary attachment figure. Within a few weeks or months they formed secondary attachments to other family members including the father. In 75% of the infants studied an attachment was formed with the father by the age of 18 months. This was determined by the fact that the infants protested when the fathers walked away - a sign of separation anxiety.

Grossman (2002) carried out a longitudinal study looking at both parents’ behaviour and its relationship to the quality of childrens’ attachment in their teens. He found that the quality of infant attachment with mothers but not fathers was related to children’s attachment in adolescence suggesting that the attachment with the father is less important. However, the quality of the fathers’ play with infants has a different role in attachment - one that is more to do with play and stimulation, and less to do with nurturing.

There is evidence to suggest that when fathers do take the role of being the main caregiver they adopt behaviours more typical of mothers. Field (1978) filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interactions with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers. Primary caregiver fathers, like mothers, spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than secondary caregiver fathers. This behaviour appears to be important in the building of attachment. The key to attachment is therefore the level of responsiveness and not gender.

Question 15

Evaluate research into the role of the father in attachment
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 15

One strength of the research conducted by Field is that the children’s responses were filmed. This allows fine details to be captured that may be missed at the time of research. Furthermore, observations made at the time can be judged by other researchers to see if there is an agreement in what is being demonstrated and concluded. This increases the reliability of conclusions drawn from research into the role of the father.

Question 16

Evaluate research into the role of the father in attachment
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 16

One limitation of Grossman’s idea of fathers having distinct roles is that it fails to explain why children without a father aren’t different. Mac Callum found that children growing up in single parent families do not develop any differently from those in two-parent heterosexual families. Furthermore, children growing up in a same-sex family do not develop any differently to a heterosexual family. This would suggest that the father’s role as a secondary attachment figure is not important/reliable.

Question 17

Evaluate research into the role of the father in attachment
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 17

One strength of the research by Field and Grossman is that it has real-life applications. Both of these pieces of research increased the awareness of the importance of the role fathers do have in attachment. Now fathers are entitled to two weeks paternity leave after the birth of their child. This may result in infants forming stronger attachments as a result, which is so important due to the impact of attachment in later life.

Question 18

Outline animal studies in attachment - Lorenz and Harlow

A01

Answer 18

Attachment like behaviour is common to a range of species, so can help us to understand attachment in humans.

Lorenz conducted an experiment to investigate whether birds imprint on the first moving object they see. Lorenz randomly divided up 12 goose legs in 2 halves, 1 half were hatched with the mother goose in their natural environment and the other in an incubator where the first moving object they saw was Lorenz. Lorenz marked all the goslings so he could determine the two groups when mixed together. The baby geese were then observed to see who they followed, their later courtship was also observed. Lorenz found that the incubator group followed him everywhere, whereas the control group followed the mother goose everywhere. Lorenz concluded that new-borns attach to the first moving object they see, a process known as imprinting. Lorenz identified a critical period in which imprinting needs to take place, a few hours after hatching, if longer there was no attachment. Sexual imprinting also occurs whereby the birds acquire a template of the desirable characteristics required in a mate.

Harlow conducted an experiment to investigate the role of food and comfort in attachment. Harlow took baby monkeys away from their mothers, they were kept isolated in a cage with a wire ‘mother’ that gave milk through a feeding bottle and a cloth covered ‘mother’ who was soft to touch. He then stressed the monkeys by putting a wind up toy in the cage. The monkeys were observed to see what ‘mother’ they would run to first. They were also observed to see which ‘mother’ they spent more time on throughout a day. Harlow found that most time was spent with the cloth covered ‘mother’, 22/24 hours a day. He also found that the monkeys sought comfort from the cloth covered ‘mother’ when frightened. Harlow concluded that attachment developed through contact, comfort rather than food as proposed by the learning theory. As adults the motherless monkeys were aggressive, less sociable, they also neglected and sometimes killed their offspring. Like Lorenz, Harlow identified a critical period of forming attachments, recovery was not possible past 6 months.

Question 19

Evaluate animal studies in attachment -Lorenz and Harlow
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 19

One limitation of this research is that it is difficult to generalise findings and conclusions of birds to humans as out attachment systems are very different. For example, humans don’t imprint on the first moving object we see like geese. Furthermore, human mothers show more emotional attachment to their children than birds. However, Bowlby provides support for the fact that humans like birds have a critical period in which to form an attachment.

Question 20

Evaluate animal studies in attachment -Lorenz and Harlow
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 20

The insight into attachment from Harlow’s research has had important practical applications. For example, it has highlighted the importance of proper attachment figures for baby monkeys in zoos and also in breeding programmes in the wild. It has also helped social workers understand risk factors in child neglect and abuse. This is a strength as this knowledge can be used to intervene and prevent it (Howe 1998).

Question 21

Evaluate animal studies in attachment -Lorenz and Harlow
ETHICAL ISSUES
A03

Answer 21

Harlow faced severe criticisms for the ethics of his research. The monkeys suffered greatly as a result of being frightened and maternally deprived. This species is considered similar enough to humans to generalise the findings to humans, which also means that their suffering was presumably quite human-like. However, the counter-argument is that Harlow’s research was sufficiently important to justify the effects.

Question 22

Explanation of attachment - learning theory of attachment

A01

Answer 22

The learning explanation of attachment emphasises the idea of ‘cupboard love’, children learn to become attached to their caregiver because they give them food.

Learning can be due to associations, classical conditioning. A caregiver begins as the neutral stimulus, when he same person provides food (unconditioned stimulus) over time they become associated with food. Once conditioning takes place, the sight of the caregiver (conditioned stimulus) produces the conditioned response of pleasure.

Learning can also be due to patterns of reinforcement, operant conditioning. For example, a child’s crying leads to a response from the caregiver such as feeding. The child then continues to cry whenever they see the caregiver due to positive reinforcement as they expect to receive the same response of food.

(include negative reinforcement diagram)
This reinforcement is a two-way process as when the caregiver gives the child food they avoid the discomfort of their child crying, so continue this behaviour due to negative reinforcement.

Question 23

Explanation of attachment - learning theory of attachment
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
A03

Answer 23

There is evidence that underpins the learning theory of attachment. Research by Pavlov demonstrated that dogs could be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell. Research by Skinner demonstrated that rats could be conditioned to press a lever for food. However, there is no direct support for the role of classical and operant conditioning in attachment.

Question 24

Explanation of attachment - learning theory of attachment

CRITIQUE

Answer 24

One limitation is that the learning theory ignores other factors associated with forming attachments. Social interactions between infants and caregivers have been shown to have important functions for attachment. Isabella (1989) found that high levels of interactional synchrony were associated with better quality mother-infant attachments. If attachment was primarily as a result of feeding, there would be no purpose for these complex interactions.

Question 25

Explanation of attachment - learning theory of attachment
OPPOSING EVIDENCE
A03

Answer 25

A range of animal studies have shown that young animals do not attach to those who feed them. In Lorenz’s study, geese imprinted before they were fed and maintained these attachments regardless of who fed them. In Harlow’s study, monkeys attached to a cloth ‘mother’ in preference to a wire ‘mother’ who dispensed milk. Furthermore, Schaffer and Emmerson highlighted that this is true for humans as more than half of infants were not attached to the person primarily involved in their physical care.

Question 26

Describe Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

A01

Answer 26

Attachment has a survival value- he believed that babies’ behaviour has evolved to behave towards their primary caregivers in ways that ensure their survival. Infants who stay close to their mother one more likely to avoid dangers and thus survive until sexual maturity. Infants are born with a drive to become attached. They encourage care giving by others by social releases such as smiling and crying. Bonds are formed with adults who are most sensitive to these social releases.

The relationships with the mother acts as a template or model for later relationships. This template is termed an ‘internal working model’. Bowlby believed that infants form one special relationship (monotropy) and this attachment is important in influencing the quality of later social and emotional relationships.

Question 27

Evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
A03

Answer 27

One strength of Bowlby’s explanation of attachment is that it has supporting evidence. Lonerve demonstrated that geese were born to imprint on the first moving object they see. Tronich demonstrated that babies used social releases such as pointing and laughing to elicit a response from their parents. This increases the reliability of Bowlby’s conclusions that children have innate attachment behaviours.

Question 28

Evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
CRITIQUE
A03

Answer 28

Monotrpy is a socially sensitive idea because it places a terrible burden of responsibility on a mother. Bowlby argues the more time spent with the mother the better, this may make the mother feel guilty about returning to work. Bowlby argues a child uses IWM as a basis for future relationships, this can be seen as blaming the mum for anything that goes wring in the child’s life. However, this was not Bowlby’s intention, he saw himself as boosting the status of others by emphasising their important role.

Question 29

Evaluate Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
OPPOSING RESEARCH
A03

Answer 29

One limitation of Bowlby’s monotropic explanation of attachment is that there is opposing research. Van Izjendoorn (1993) found that in collective cultures multiple caregivers are the norm and that babies form multiple attachments from the outset. Research by Grossman (2002) demonstrated that the father was just as important for adolescent attachments as the mother they just have a different role, quality of play was fundamental. This reduces the reliability of Bowlby’s conclusions that attachment to one caregiver if more important than others.

Question 30

The Strange Situation - Ainsworth (1978)

A01

Answer 30

Strange situation was developed to observe key behaviours as a means of assessing the quality f a child’s attachment to a caregiver. It takes place in an unfamiliar room with a two way mirror, allowing psychologists to record the infants responses. each of the 7 steps takes no longer than 3 minutes. Behaviours used to judge the quality of attachment include proximity seeking, exploration behaviour, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety and reunion behaviour. Ainsworth found that there were 3 types of distinct patterns in the way that infants behaved, therefore identifying 3 types of attachment. Firstly, 60-75% of British toddlers are classified as secure. Secondly, 20-25% of British toddlers are insecure-avoidant. Lastly, about 3% of British toddlers are insecure-resistant.

Question 31

The Strange Situation - Ainsworth (1978)
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 31

SS has been criticised for lacking generalisability due to its focus on the norms and values of westernised society. Insecure-avoidant infants were characterised in the SS as showing a lack of separation anxiety. However, in Germany infants are encouraged to be more independent, therefore this would not be a sign of insecurity within that cultural context. Therefore, the method behind the SS may not be appropriate to apply to all cultures due to differences in child nearing practises.

Question 32

The Strange Situation - Ainsworth (1978)
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 32

A strength of the SS is that it has a good inter-rate reliability. This may be because the SS takes a place under controlled conditions and because the behavioural categories are easy to observe. Bick et al (2012) found that trained observers had an agreement rate of 94% for tested babies. This means that we can be confident that the attachment type of an infant identified in the SS does not just depend on who is observing them.

Question 33

The Strange Situation - Ainsworth (1978)
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 33

One strength of the SS is that it has real life applications. Behaviours used to judge attachments in the SS are used by social workers. If a child is believed to be insecurely attached they may recommend attachment therapy. Once therapy is complete the SS can be used to judge whether a secure attachment has been developed. This is a strength as securely attached children do on to perform better at school, have better friendships and form stronger romantic relationships in adulthood.

Question 34

Cultural variations in attachment - Van Izjendoorn (1988)

A01

Answer 34

The aim was to find out whether proportions of secure, insecure-avoidant; insecure-resistant children were the same in all cultures. Van Izjendoorn also looked at the differences within the same country to get an idea of variations within the same cultures. Researchers located 32 studies of attachment where the SS had been used to investigate the proportions of infants with different attachment types. Conducted in 8countries; 15in the USA, yielded results of 1990 children. The data was meta-analysed, results being combined and weighted for sample size. Found that the variations between countries was small, secure attachments was the ‘norm’ in a middle range of cultures, supporting the idea that having a secure attachment is ‘best’ for healthy development. Cultural similarity supports nature view and does have influence. China only had 50% secure and 25% other 2.

Question 35

Cultural variations in attachment - Van Izjendoorn (1988)
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 35

A strength of Izjendoorn’s meta-analysis is that a large sample size of 1990 infants and their primary attachment figures were used. A large sample size reduces that impact of anomalous results caused by bad methodology or very unusual participants. However, 15 of the 32 studies reviewed were conducted in the USA. Therefore, the overall findings would have been distorted by this and may not reflect how attachment types vary between cultures.

Question 36

Cultural variations in attachment - Van Izjendoorn (1988)
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 36

Izjendoorm’s study is unrepresentative of cultures. the conclusions drawn were actually comparing between countries and not cultures. Izjendoorm and Sagi (2004) found that distribution of attachment type in Tokyo (urban) were similar to Western studies, whereas a more rural sample had an over-representation of an insecure-resistant individuals. This means that comparisons between countries (such as Italy or Korea) may have little meaning; the particular culture characteristics (and thus caregiver styles) of the sample need to be specified.

Question 37

Cultural variations in attachment - Van Izjendoorn (1988)
VALIDITY
A03

Answer 37

A basic issue with using the SS is that it might not be measuring attachment at all. Kagan (1986) suggested the attachment type is more related to temperament than to relationship with the primary attachment figure. this is said to be a more important influence on behaviour in the SS than attachment. This reduces the internal validity of the procedure as it cannot be guaranteed that the classifications of attachment are measuring hat they intended to.

Question 38

Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - 44 thieves study

A01

Answer 38

Baulby proposed that separation from the mother or a mother substitute has a serious effect on emotional and intellectual development. The serious consequences from this separation in early childhood is known as maternal deprivation. Baulby saw the first 30 months/2 years as a critical period for psychological development. Baulby believed psychological damage was inevitable if maternal deprivation occurred in the first 30 months of life.
If maternally deprived in the critical period they would suffer with delayed intellectual development, characterised by low IQ. Goldforb (1949) found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions as opposed to those who were fostered and this had a higher standard of emotional care. A second way maternal deprivation affects children is through emotional development.

Question 39

Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - 44 thieves study
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
A03

Answer 39

One strength of Baulby’s theory is that is has supporting evidence. Baulby’s 44 thieves study used interviews to examine the link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation. 14 of the 44 thieves were classified as affectionless psychopaths and 12 of the 14 had experienced prolonged separation from their mothers in the critical period. This shows support for the link between maternal deprivation during the critical period and the damage to infant emotional development.

Question 40

Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - 44 thieves study
CRITIQUE
A03

Answer 40

One limitation of the theory of maternal deprivation is that research has shown not all children are affected by emotional disruption in the same way. Lewis (1954) partially replicated the 44 thieves study but on a larger scale, looking at 500 young people. Lewis found a history of prolonged separation from the mother did not predict criminality or difficulty in forming relationships that are close. This is a problem for the theory of maternal deprivation because it suggests that other factors may affect the outcome of early maternal deprivation.

Question 41

Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation - 44 thieves study
OPPOSING RESEARCH
A03

Answer 41

Not all research supports Baulby’s findings reducing the reliability of the theory of maternal deprivation. Later research has shown that damage is not inevitable. Some cases of severely deprived children have good outcomes due to good quality aftercare. Freud and Don (1951) and Koluchara (1972) both found that maternally deprived children who were looked after by loving adults appeared to recover fully. Cases like these show that the period suggested by Baulby may actually be a ‘sensitive’ one but it cannot be critical. Therefore Bow;lby’s theory and findings are not consistently replicated.

Question 42

Describe research into Romanian orphans

A01

Answer 42

A tragic opportunity to look at the effects of instructional care and the consequent institutionalisation arose in Romania in the 1990s. Studies such as Rutter’s ERA study (2011) and the Bucharest Early intervention project (2005) are among the most well known for assessing orphans development of attachment and the effects of institutional care (deprivation). Institutionalisation is the living arrangements outside of family/ home for long, continuous periods of time. The time frame results in the child adopting the rules and norms of the institution which can impair normal functioning and lead to de-individualisation. Examples of institutions are: hostels and hospitals. The effects are disinhibited attachment which is unusual behaviour whereby a child is equally friendly and affectionate to those they first met as those they know. In Rutter’s study most showed signs of mental retardation. It appears that, like emotional development, the damage can be recovered if adoption takes place within 6 months.

Question 43

Evaluate research into Romanian orphans
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 43

Rutter’s research used infants from Romanian orphanages which aren’t typical of all institutions. It is possible that conditions were so bad that results cannot be applied to understanding the impacts of better quality institutional care or indeed only situation where children experience deprivation. For example, Romanian orphanages had particularly poor standards of care, especially when it comes to forming any relationship with the children, and extremely low levels of intellectual stimulation. The limitation of Romanian orphan studies are the unusual situational variables mean they lack generalisability to the majority of institutions.

Question 44

Evaluate research into Romanian orphans
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 44

There is evidence to support Rutter’s findings about effect of institutionalisation on disinhibited attachment. Zeanah (2005) assessed attachment in 95 children aged 12-31 months who had spent most of their lives in institutional care (90% on average). They were compared to a control group of 50 children who spend their life in a ‘normal family’. Attachment type was measured applied to 44% of institutionalised children as opposed to less than 20% of controls. Rutter’s findings are reliable as more than one case proves the chance of disinhibited.

Question 45

Evaluate research into Romanian orphans
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 45

Strength in improvement for the way children are cared for in institutions. For example, orphanages and children’s homes now avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child to ensure a smaller number, 1 or 2, play a central role. This person is a key worker. It means that children have a choice to develop normal attachments and avoiding disinhibited attachment. Research has been immensely valuable in practical terms for institutionalised children.

Question 46

The influence of attachment in childhood on later relationships
A01

Answer 46

Baulby (1969) suggested a child’s relationship with their primary caregiver form a mental representation of their relationship. This acts as a template for future relationships (i.e. friendships, relationships). In other words there will be a continuity between early attachment experiences and later relationships. This is known as the continuity hypothesis. Research indicates an integrational continuity between adult attachment types and their children, including children adopting the parenting styles of their own parents. People tend to chose their parenting style on their IWM so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations of a family. Similarly, continuity between attachment types/styles on late romantic relationships. IWM influences a person’s expectation of later relationships thus affects attitudes towards them.

Question 47

Evaluation of influence of attachment in childhood on later relationships
GENERALISABILITY
A03

Answer 47

One limitation of research into the influence of attachment on childhood and adulthood relationships is the sample used. Bailey (2007) sample consisted of mothers, and disregarded fathers who play a different role in attachment. A child may be securely attached to their mother but insecurely attached to their father, which also impacts on parenting which is not acknowledged by Bailey.

Question 48

Evaluation of influence of attachment in childhood on later relationships
RELIABILITY
A03

Answer 48

Evidence on continuity of attachment type is mixed. IWMs predict attachment type will characterise the person’s later relationships as it remains the same. However, Zimmerman (2000) found there was very little relationship between quality of infant attachment and adolescent attachments. This is a problem for the reliability of the continuity hypothesis because it is not what would be expected if IWMs were important in development.

Question 49

Evaluation of influence of attachment in childhood on later relationships
APPLICATIONS
A03

Answer 49

One strength of continuity research is that it has real life applications to attachment therapy. This led to development of intervention aimed at teaching parents with poor IWMs to better understand their infants signals of distress. They struggle to do this before therapy as they have no mental representation to base this off. It is a strength as it helps to prevent generation of children having a poor IWM.

Question 50

What is Institutionalisation and what are its effects?

Answer 50

Institutionalisation is the living arrangements outside of family/ home for long, continuous periods of time. The time frame results in the child adopting the rules and norms of the institution which can impair normal functioning and lead to de-individualisation. Examples of institutions are: hostels and hospitals.

Question 51

Describe the Secure stage of the strange situation

Answer 51

Proximity seeking - These children explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver.

Exploration/Secure base - These children explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver.

Stranger anxiety - They usually show moderate separation anxiety

Separation anxiety - They usually show moderate separation anxiety.

Response on reunion - These children require and accept comfort from the caregiver in the reunion stage

Classification - 60-75%

Question 52

Describe the Insecure-avoidant stage of the strange situation

Answer 52

Proximity seeking - These children do not seek proximity behaviour

Exploration/Secure base - Children explore freely but do not show secure base behaviour

Stranger anxiety - These children show little stranger anxiety

Separation anxiety - They usually show little or no reaction when their caregiver leaves and they make little effort to make contact when the caregiver returns.

Response on reunion - These children do not require comfort from the caregiver in the reunion stage

Classification - 20-25%

Question 53

Describe the Insecure-resistant stage of the strange situation

Answer 53

Proximity seeking - These children seek greater proximity than others

Exploration/Secure base - Children explore less freely than others.

Stranger anxiety - These children show huge distress stranger anxiety

Separation anxiety - They show huge separation distress

Response on reunion - These children resist comfort from the caregiver in the reunion stage

Classification - around 3%