CARE-GIVER INFANT INTERACTIONS IN HUMANS

Question 1

WHAT THREE BEHAVIOURS SIGNIFY AN ATTACHMENT HAS BEEN FORMED

Answer 1

proximity seeking

separation anxiety

stranger anxiety

Question 2

HOW IS THE ATTACHMENT MAINTAINED BETWEEN INFANT AND CAREGIVER, DESPITE THE INFANT BEING UNABLE TO TALK

Answer 2

reciprocity + interactional synchrony

Question 3

WHAT IS RECIPROCITY

Answer 3

interactions between carer + infant result in similar behaviour, with both parties producing responses to one another.

Question 4

WHAT IS INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY

Answer 4

carer + infant reflect the actions + emotions of each other in a coordinated way.

Question 5

Related research into reciprocity

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Related research into interactional synchrony

Answer 6

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

Question 7

reciprocity + interactional synchrony counter

Answer 7

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

Question 8

ISSUES W/ OBSERVING BABIES

Answer 8

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

Question 9

LACK OF CAUSALITY

Answer 9

cant establish cause + effect
ethically wrong to manipulate level of attention + care given to child
cant change parent

Question 10

SHAFFER + EMERSON

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Name the stage and ages for SHAFFERS stages of attachment

Answer 11

A social/preattachment
-birth to 3 months

Indiscriminate stage
- 4 to 8 months

Specific/discriminat attachments
- 8 to 9 months

Multiple attachments
- 9+ months

Question 12

Characteristics of the asocial stage

Answer 12

Attach to other humans
Prefer humans to objects and events
Demonstrated by smiling at people’s faces

Question 13

Characteristics of indiscriminate stage

Answer 13

Begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar
Smile more at known people
Still allow strangers to look after and handle them

Question 14

Characteristics of the specific/discriminant attachments

Answer 14

Begin to develop specific attachments
Stay close to particular people –> separation anxiety
Avoid unfamiliar faces
Protester strangers handle them –> strange anxiety

Question 15

Characteristics of the multiple attachments phase

Answer 15

Strong emotional ties with other major caregivers and non-caregivers
Stranger anxiety weakens
Attachments mother is the strongest

Question 16

Stages of attachment evaluation

Answer 16

• 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.

Question 17

Outline the idea of multiple attachments

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Why is having multiple attachments an advantage

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Outline the role of the father

Answer 19

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:

Question 20

O + E the men are not equipped to form an attachment argument

Answer 20

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)

Question 21

O + E father is a play mate argument

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

O + E fathers can demonstrate sensitive responsiveness argument

Answer 22

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.