chapter 11: attachment to others and development of the self

Question 1

attachment

Answer 1

an emotional bond with a specific person that is enduring across space and time

Question 2

attachment theory

Answer 2

theory based on John Bowlby’s work that posits that children are biologically predisposed to develop attachments to caregivers as a means of increasing the chances of their own survival

Question 3

secure base

Answer 3

refers to the idea that the presence of a trusted caregiver provides an infant or toddler with a sense of security that makes it possible for the child to explore the environment

Question 4

internal working model of attachment

Answer 4

the child’s mental representation of the self, of attachment figure(s), and of relationships in general that is constructed as a result of experiences with caregivers. The working model guides children’s interactions with caregivers and other people in infancy and at older ages

Question 5

Strange Situation

Answer 5

a procedure developed by Mary Ainsworth to assess infants’ attachment to their primary caregiver

Question 6

secure attachment

Answer 6

a pattern of attachment in which infants or young children have a positive and trusting relationship with their attachment figure; when children are securely attached, they can use caregivers as a secure base for exploration

Question 7

insecure/resistant attachment

Answer 7

a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children are clingy and stay close to their caregiver rather than exploring their environment

Question 8

insecure/avoidant attachment

Answer 8

a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children seem somewhat indifferent toward their caregiver and may even avoid the caregiver; if the infant gets upset when left alone, he or she is as easily comforted by a stranger as by a parent

Question 9

disorganized/disoriented attachment

Answer 9

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 behavior is confused or even contradictory, and they often appear dazed or disoriented

Question 10

parental sensitivity

Answer 10

caregiving behavior that involves the expression of warmth and contingent responsiveness to children, such as when they require assistance or are in distress

Question 11

self-concept

Answer 11

a conceptual system made up of one’s thoughts and attitudes about oneself

Question 12

social comparison

Answer 12

the process of comparing aspects of one’s own psychological, behavioral, or physical functioning to that of others in order to evaluate oneself

Question 13

personal fable

Answer 13

a form of adolescent egocentrism that involves beliefs in the uniqueness of one’s own feelings and thoughts

Question 14

imaginary audience

Answer 14

the belief, stemming from adolescent egocentrism, that everyone else is focused on the adolescent’s appearance and behavior

Question 15

identity

Answer 15

a description of the self that is often externally imposed, such as through membership in a group

Question 16

identity achievement

Answer 16

an integration of various aspects of the self into a coherent whole that is stable over time and across events

Question 17

moratorium

Answer 17

period in which the individual is exploring various occupational and ideological choices and has not yet made a clear commitment to them

Question 18

identity foreclosure

Answer 18

period in which the individual has not engaged in any identity experimentation and has established a vocational or ideological identity based on the choices or values of others

Question 19

identity diffusion

Answer 19

period in which the individual does not have firm commitments regarding the issues in question and is not making progress toward developing them

Question 20

ethnic and racial identity

Answer 20

the beliefs and attitudes an individual has about the ethnic or racial groups to which they belong

Question 21

acculturation

Answer 21

the process of adjusting to a new culture while retaining some aspects of one’s culture of origin

Question 22

sexual identity

Answer 22

one’s sense of oneself as a sexual being

Question 23

sexual orientation

Answer 23

a person’s preference in regard to males or females as objects of erotic feelings

Question 24

sexual-minority youth

Answer 24

young people who experience same-sex attractions