Chapter 11: Attachment to Others and Development of the Self Flashcards
What is attachment?
emotional bond with a person that endures across space and time
What did behaviourists propose about the infant-mother bond?
proposed that it is classically conditioned as the mother provides nourishment to the child
What did Harry Harlow propose about the infant-mother bond?
proposed that it develops due to the sense of security provided by mother/caregiver
What is the attachment theory?
children biologically predisposed to develop attachments to caregivers to increase chances of their own survival
What is secure base?
presence of trusted caregiver provides infant or toddler with a sense of security that makes it possible for the child to explore the environment
What is the internal working model of attachment?
constructed as a result of experiences with caregivers is the child’s metal representation of self, attachment figures and relationships in general
What happens if children’s attachment figures are unavailable or unresponsive?
children develop negative perceptions of relationships with other people and of themselves
What is strange situation?
developed by Mary Ainsworth to assess infants’ attachment to their primary caregiver
What are key factors of measured quality mother-infant attachment?
- extent of infant’s use of primary caregiver as secure base
- infant’s reaction to brief separations from and reunions with caregiver
What are the three attachment categories?
- secure
- insecure (avoidant/resistant
- disorganized/disoriented
What is secure attachment?
a pattern of attachment in which infants or young children have a positive and trusting relationship with their attachment figure
What is a secure attachment in the Strange Situation?
infant may be upset when the caregiver leaves but may be happy to see the caregiver return, recovering quickly from any distress
What is insecure/avoidant attachment?
a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children seem somewhat indifferent toward their caregiver and may even avoid the caregiver. if infant gets upset when left alone, he or she is as easily comforted by a stranger as by a parent
What is insecure/resistant attachment?
a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children are clingy and stay close to their caregiver rather than exploring their environment
What is a insecure/resistant infant in the Strange Situation?
infants tend to become very upset when the caregiver leaves them alone in the room but when their caregiver returns, they are not easily comfort and both seek comfort and resist efforts by the caregiver to comfort them
What is disorganized/disoriented attachment?
a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children have no consistent way of coping with the stress of the Strange Situation. their behaviour is confused or even contradictory, and they often appear dazed or disoriented
What are positive aspects about the Strange Situation?
- similarity in infant behaviour in Strange Situation at lab setting and home
- continues to be standard measurement of attachment
What are negative aspects about the Strange Situation?
- requires substantial resources and lab setting
- multiple continuous dimensions might be used in place of categories of attachment security
- societal change in out-of-home care; Strange Situation may no longer be “strange”
What is the activation relationship theory?
initially developed in response to the need to develop a better understanding of father-child attachment
- highlight the complementarity of paternal and maternal roles
- security VS exploration poles of attachment
What are the important purposes of attachment?
- it enhances the infant’s chance of survival by keeping caregiver in close proximity
- attachment helps the child feel emotionally secure, which allows child to explore the world with no fear
- serves as a form of co-regulation that helps children manage their levels of arousal and their emotions
Does childcare interfere with attachment?
- research evidence suggests that 15-month-olds and 36-month-olds in childcare and not in childcare were just as likely to be secure
- maternal sensitivity was strong predictor of child emotional security when aspects of childcare arrangements and family were accounted for
- high-quality childcare can serve a compensatory function
- the only time that childcare appears to interfere with attachment is when the care is of low quality
What are the three types of activation in the activation relationship theory?
- activated children
- underactivated children
- overactivated children
What are the three main sources for individual differences in attachment style?
- parental sensitivity
- genetic predispositions
- culture
What is parental sensitivity?
caregiving behaviour that involves the expression of warmth and contingent responsiveness to children
What are genetic influences on individual differences in attachment styles?
- possible influence of allelic variants of serotonin-transporter gene SLC6A4
- gene DRD4 (dopamine system) possibly associated with disorganized/disoriented attachment
What are similarities in culture in attachment styles?
infants’ behaviours in the Strange Situation were found to be similar across numerous cultures
What are the attachment styles like in children from Colombia and Peru?
least likely to remain in close physical proximity to their mothers
What are the attachment styles like in children from Italy and Portugal?
more likely than children in other countries to maintain physical contact with their mothers
What is the self?
description of one’s
- physical characteristics
- personality traits
- personal preferences
- social and familial relationships
- details of ethnicity, culture, national origin