Ch. 10 Flashcards
implications for adult relationships
1) emotional needs we experience in infancy and childhood are basic needs
–comfort, someone to depend on to respond to us and give support and affection
2) early patterns of interaction set stage for expectations of having needs filled and teach us how to fill needs for others
Bowlby’s attachment theory
ethological perspective suggested we’re biologically predisposed to form attachments
–we’ve kept others nearby and accepted by people to survive
-infants demonstrate behaviors to keep caregivers close (crying, cooing, clinging)
–learn to distinguish between family and unfamiliar others
–learn expectations about whether they can rely on ‘people’ to meet needs and provide relief from distress
Mary Ainsworth and Strange Situation
babies and caregivers are observed throughout series of separations and reunions
–do babies show distress upon being left in a ‘strange situation?’
–do they allow themselves to be comforted upon return of caregiver?
infant attachment categories
1) secure
insecure:
2) avoidant
3) anxious
4) disorganized
secure
use caregivers as secure base to explore
-they get a little upset when caregiver leaves and stop exploring toys
-when caregiver returns, they reunite, seek affection and reassurance, and recover from separation and return to exploring
avoidant
don’t interact much w/ caregivers, aren’t upset when left alone
-don’t seek or accept reconnection when caregivers return
anxious
cling to caregivers prior to separation, become distressed when left alone
-resist reconnection, pushing affection away upon caregiver return
disorganized
fearful of caregivers, and display anxious and avoidant patterns
applying attachment to adults
explained as mechanism that has persisted through evolution to ensure adults stay together long enough to raise a family
-Cindy Hazan’s theory
–adult relationships may reflect attachment patterns that a child exp. w/ parents
-initially based on questionnaires, adult attitudes towards relationships fall into categories revealed by strange situation
-adult attachment needs revolve around questions that’re similar to Erikson’s infant stage of trust v. mistrust
adult attachment categories
1) secure
2) insecure-avoidant
3) insecure-anxious
4) disorganized/mixed
secure adult
easy to become emotionally close
-comfortable depending on others
-good at being there for others
-few worries about rejection
insecure-avoidant adults
comfortable w/o close emotional relationships
-important to be dependent
-rely on myself
-prefer not to depend on others or be depended on
secure-anxious adults
want to be completely emotionally connected
-others aren’t often as interested in being as close
-uncomfortable w/o close relationship
-worry others don’t value me as much as I value them
organized/mixed adult
want emotional closeness, but difficult to trust others or get close
-worry I’ll be hurt if I get too close
attachment over time
securely attached 2-yr-olds better able than insecurely attached infants to resolve and rebound from conflicts in romance 20 yrs. later
-partners of formerly securely attached infants negotiated conflict better and rebounded faster than partners of formerly insecurely attached infants, regardless of attachment history
-behaviors learned in secure adult peer and romantic relationships promote better attachment health over time
–we do become more securely attached as we get older and more experienced in relationships
