Chapter 8- Attachment And Developemnt Flashcards
What is developmental psychology
Scientific study of how and why humans change over the course of their life
What does developmental psychology examine
Examines influences of nature and nurture on human developmental
Who is the first human bond usually formed with
Usually it is the mother
Who is attachment characterised with specific behaviours in children and adults
Characterised by specific behaviours inchildren such as seeking proximity to attachment figure when upset or threatened.
In adults, responding to sensitively and appropriately to child’s needs
Which psychologist studied baby rhesus monkeys taken from mother shortly after birth
Harry Harlow- 1962, investigates the role of feeding in attachment process
What was the method of the study
The monkeys were reared in labs, they had surrogate mothers
Half recieved food from attached to wire mother, half from a cloth mother
No matter which mother they got the food from they all preferred to be with the cloth mother, they preferred CONTACT COMFORT
Which psychologist produced the theory of attachment in 1969
John Bowlby
What did bowlby say about attachment being innate
He said infants have an innate need to form an attachment bond with caregiver, it is an adaptive response which increases child’s chances of survival
What reason was given for babies crying according to bowlby
They are born with these specific behaviours, and the caregivers and programmed to respond to this, and attend to the child’s needs
Which ideas of bowlbys were similar to harlows
Feeding is not the basis of attachment
Name bowlbys attachment stages
Pre- attachment phase 0-2 months
Attachment in the making 2-6 months
Clear-cut attachment 6 months - 3 years
Goal directed partnership 3 or 4 years onwards
Name the 4 styles of attachment
Secure attachment
Avoidant attachment
Resistant attachment
Disorganised attachment
Describe a secure attachment
Secure/ happy
Trust the mother to be there for them
Distressed at mother’s absence, assured she will return
Describe avoidant attachment
Don’t trust mother to fulfill needs
Indifferent to mothers presence, anxious inside
Describe resistant attachment
Mixture of anger and helplessness towards mother
Passive, insecure, cannot rely on mother
Describe disorganised attachment
Children could act depressed, angry, passive, apathetical
Mother could act in varying extremes
Describe how the problems of too many Romanian baby’s came about
Dictator Nicolas Ceausescu
He banned contraception in 1980
Abortions were illegal
With a growing population there were many unwanted babies, these babies were abandoned to state care
How did everyone become aware of the horrid conditions in Romanian orphanages
Post revolution 1989
The world became aware because people investigated this after the revolution when they were allowed in the country
Many kids were squashed into orphanages and because they were so many, there needs were ignored
What was the effect on the romain orphans because of lack of attachment
They had profound developemtal delays and abnormal social-emotional behaviour
They were pararlells between this and harlows study on monkeys.
Which project research the effect of placing these orphans in different environments
The bucharest early intervention project
It was a 12 year study, with 136 infants from Romanian institutions
Half - assigned to foster care
Half - remained under institutional care
Control group - raised by their own families
They were periodically assessed, with physical emotional and cognitive. Social and language development.
Describe the results of the BEIP
More time in an institution = worse developement
Lower IQs, progressively decreased with age
The kids were far slower to acquire language skills
Impaired executive functions
Increased rates of psychiatric disorders
They had indiscriminate friendliness
Smaller brains and less electrical activity
What was the results in the BEIP from the Romanian orphans in foster care
Romanian orphans in foster care had the greatest improvements.
What is the sensitive period, supported by BEIP
The sensitive period of acquisition is under 2 years.
How can bowlbys Idea that attachment is adaptive be questioned
If this were true the attachment behaviour should be universal in all cultures, irrespective of cultural differences in child rearing practices
