Chapter 8- Attachment And Developemnt

Question 1

What is developmental psychology

Answer 1

Scientific study of how and why humans change over the course of their life

Question 2

What does developmental psychology examine

Answer 2

Examines influences of nature and nurture on human developmental

Question 3

Who is the first human bond usually formed with

Answer 3

Usually it is the mother

Question 4

Who is attachment characterised with specific behaviours in children and adults

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Which psychologist studied baby rhesus monkeys taken from mother shortly after birth

Answer 5

Harry Harlow- 1962, investigates the role of feeding in attachment process

Question 6

What was the method of the study

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Which psychologist produced the theory of attachment in 1969

Answer 7

John Bowlby

Question 8

What did bowlby say about attachment being innate

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What reason was given for babies crying according to bowlby

Answer 9

They are born with these specific behaviours, and the caregivers and programmed to respond to this, and attend to the child’s needs

Question 10

Which ideas of bowlbys were similar to harlows

Answer 10

Feeding is not the basis of attachment

Question 11

Name bowlbys attachment stages

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Name the 4 styles of attachment

Answer 12

Secure attachment
Avoidant attachment
Resistant attachment
Disorganised attachment

Question 13

Describe a secure attachment

Answer 13

Secure/ happy
Trust the mother to be there for them
Distressed at mother’s absence, assured she will return

Question 14

Describe avoidant attachment

Answer 14

Don’t trust mother to fulfill needs

Indifferent to mothers presence, anxious inside

Question 15

Describe resistant attachment

Answer 15

Mixture of anger and helplessness towards mother

Passive, insecure, cannot rely on mother

Question 16

Describe disorganised attachment

Answer 16

Children could act depressed, angry, passive, apathetical

Mother could act in varying extremes

Question 17

Describe how the problems of too many Romanian baby’s came about

Answer 17

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

Question 18

How did everyone become aware of the horrid conditions in Romanian orphanages

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What was the effect on the romain orphans because of lack of attachment

Answer 19

They had profound developemtal delays and abnormal social-emotional behaviour
They were pararlells between this and harlows study on monkeys.

Question 20

Which project research the effect of placing these orphans in different environments

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Describe the results of the BEIP

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What was the results in the BEIP from the Romanian orphans in foster care

Answer 22

Romanian orphans in foster care had the greatest improvements.

Question 23

What is the sensitive period, supported by BEIP

Answer 23

The sensitive period of acquisition is under 2 years.

Question 24

How can bowlbys Idea that attachment is adaptive be questioned

Answer 24

If this were true the attachment behaviour should be universal in all cultures, irrespective of cultural differences in child rearing practices