CARE-GIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS IN HUMANS Flashcards
WHAT THREE BEHAVIOURS SIGNIFY AN ATTACHMENT HAS BEEN FORMED
proximity seeking
separation anxiety
stranger anxiety
HOW IS THE ATTACHMENT MAINTAINED BETWEEN INFANT AND CAREGIVER, DESPITE THE INFANT BEING UNABLE TO TALK
reciprocity + interactional synchrony
WHAT IS RECIPROCITY
interactions between carer + infant result in similar behaviour, with both parties producing responses to one another.
WHAT IS INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY
carer + infant reflect the actions + emotions of each other in a coordinated way.
Related research into reciprocity
MELZOFF + MOORE
infants aged 2-3 weeks MIMICKED adults facial expressions and hand movements.
TS reciprocity is important in forming attachments
INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY not found in all cultures - this weakens the argument that it is necessary in forming attachments
LE VINE reported kenyan mothers had little interaction w/ their child but still had secure attachments
Related research into interactional synchrony
CONDON + SANDLER
analysed video recording os infant movements + found they coordinated actions with adult’s speech to form a turn-taking conversation.
TS idea of interactional synchrony
use of videos
√ capture diff angles
√ no DC –> kids oblivious
√ control of EV –> cause + effect
reciprocity + interactional synchrony counter
compared moms who had extended physical contact w/ kids to moms who only had physical contact during feeding in the 3 days after birth
1 month later –> moms w/ greater physical cuddles babies more + made more eye contact
TDNS reciprocity + IS, but instead suggests more time + physical contact = stronger attachments
PRACT APP: hospitals allow moms to hold child after birth
ISSUES W/ OBSERVING BABIES
cant tell if mimicking behaviour
- may not be deliberate but due to a lack of coordination
need consent by proxy from parent
may impact their future
LACK OF CAUSALITY
cant establish cause + effect
ethically wrong to manipulate level of attention + care given to child
cant change parent
SHAFFER + EMERSON
Aim
find which age attachments start + how intense these were.
Method
longitudinal study - 60 babies; working class, Glasgow
observed monthly for the first year,
Measured strength of attachment by:
Separation anxiety
Stranger anxiety
Findings
1st specific attachment formed by 50% of kids between 25 - 32 weeks. Intensity peaked in the first month following the onset of the first attachment. Multiple attachments began soon after the first attachment had been formed. By 18 months 31% had five or more attachments, e.g. to grandparents etc.
Name the stage and ages for SHAFFERS stages of attachment
A social/preattachment
-birth to 3 months
Indiscriminate stage
- 4 to 8 months
Specific/discriminat attachments
- 8 to 9 months
Multiple attachments
- 9+ months
Characteristics of the asocial stage
Attach to other humans
Prefer humans to objects and events
Demonstrated by smiling at people’s faces
Characteristics of indiscriminate stage
Begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar
Smile more at known people
Still allow strangers to look after and handle them
Characteristics of the specific/discriminant attachments
Begin to develop specific attachments
Stay close to particular people –> separation anxiety
Avoid unfamiliar faces
Protester strangers handle them –> strange anxiety
Characteristics of the multiple attachments phase
Strong emotional ties with other major caregivers and non-caregivers
Stranger anxiety weakens
Attachments mother is the strongest
Stages of attachment evaluation
- Problems with studying the asocial phase
→ poor coordination
→ hard to make judgements on observation - Conflicting evidence on multiple attachments
→ BOWLBY (1969) most babies form attachments to a one main caregiver before they are able to make other attachments
→ CULTURAL RELETIVISM: collectivist cultures where multiple caregivers are the norm, believe babies can form multiple attachments from the outset. (This is an issue for the ‘discriminate stage” - Issues with measuring multiple attachments
→ Judged by distress when parent leaves
→ Just because baby is upset when parent leaves doesn’t mean person is true attachment figure
IDA: takes nomothetic approach as it proposes a general law for child development. However, such theories are inflexible and do not apply to all children in all cultures. For example, according to Schaffer, single attachments occur before multiple attachments and this is not necessarily the case in all cultures, highlighting an issue with taking a nomothetic approach.
Outline the idea of multiple attachments
BOWLBY: children had prime attachment figure (mom) + although attachment existed with others, they had little importance
RUTTER: all attachments of equal importance
Traditionally, attachment to the mother tends to be for loving care – more able to show sensitive responsiveness and attachment to father tends to be for exciting unpredictable play + provide income –> but this is now changing as it is normal for a mother to have a job
Why is having multiple attachments an advantage
Multiple attachments = advantage bc kids more likely to form social relationships when older / if attachment is broken w/ 1 parent, they have another to fall back on
Outline the role of the father
ROF may have been limited –> go to work to provide resources whilst the mothers stayed home + took care of kids, recently ROF has significantly changed.
However, psychologists disagree over the exact role of the father:
O + E the men are not equipped to form an attachment argument
BIO evidence suggests that oestrogen underlies caring behaviour in women + the lack of oestrogen in men is why they are unable to form a close attachment.
HRDY: fathers less able to detect infant distress. TS males less suitable as primary care giver.
ALSO, TS bio explanation lack of oestrogen in men .:. fathers are not equipped innately to form close attachments w/ their kids. TS role of the father is, to an extent, biologically determined + that a father’s role is restricted because of their makeup. BUT LAMB: fathers who become 1o attachment figure quickly develop this sensitivity. TS biologically less sensitive BUT can learn (nature via nuture)
O + E father is a play mate argument
GEIGER: found fathers’ play interactions were more exciting compared to mothers’. BUT, the
mothers’ play interactions = more affectionate + nurturing. TS ROF is in fact as a playmate + not sensitive parent responding to needs of their kids. ALSO confirm mother takes on a nurturing role.
O + E fathers can demonstrate sensitive responsiveness argument
BELSKY: found males who reported higher levels of marital intimacy also displayed a secure father–infant attachment, whereas males with lower levels of marital intimacy displayed insecure father–infant attachments. TS males can form secure attachments with their children but the strength of the attachment depends on the father and mother relationship.
