Child Flashcards
Attachment
An emotional bond between 2 people that occurs over time.
Can lead to certain behaviours such as clinging and proximity-seeking + serves to protect the baby, promoting psychological wellbeing
Bowlby (1958)
Believe that human babies have an innate tendency to form a bond with their caregiver (evolutionary approach)
Applied Imprinting principles to human babies and investigated complex social + emotional bonding processes
Imprinting
Innate ability to recognise the caregiver
Critical period
Imprinting can only happen within the first 3 years of a babies life
Monotropy
A special attachment to 1 person whom they respond most sensitively to + spend the most time with
Social releasers
Encourages caregivers to stay close and provide for the baby.
Includes crying and smiling
Babies gain an internal working model if
The emotional bond and care proves their expectations
Secure base hypothesis
Suggests that if the infant can rely on their caregiver + feel secure then they are likely to explore their environment + develop independence
Why do parents take care of babies
Are motivated because the baby carries half their dna + being close to the baby encourages a strong emotional bond
Lorenz (1935)
Tested attachment by having goslings imprint on him
Mixed up his goslings with those of a mother gose + some that never imprinted
Goslings always follow their caregiver + those that don’t imprint wader aimlessly
The continuity hypothesis
Successful early attachment will result in long term benefits for the child
If a baby doesn’t form an attachment
ST: child can’t get insight into the caregivers behaviour so can’t influence their behaviour to survive + form a partnership
LT: expectations for relationships won’t be formed on what a loving relationship looks like
Stages of attachment: phase 1
First few months of life
Baby responds indiscriminately towards any adult figure
Baby orients themselves towards an adult by contact, smiling, grasping
Will learn social responses
Stages of attachment: phase 2
3-6 months
A child will use social releases to promote proximity but behaviour is targeted towards primary caregiver
Stages of attachment: phase 3
6 months - 3 years old
Baby shows intense attachment to the primary caregiver to maintain close proximity + have a safe base
Show stress at separation + joy at reunion
Treat strangers with fear + cry to raise alarm
Ainsworth + Bell (1970)
Wanted to see how a child behaved towards strangers + their caregivers under controlled conditions of stress
Sample of strange situation
100 middle class American mothers + children
Procedure of SS
mum + child enter room + mother responds to baby if they seek attention
Stranger enters room + speaks to mum + slowly approaches baby + mum leaves room
Stranger let’s child play + encourages it if shows inattention
Mum enters room, stranger leaves + mum leaves again
Stranger enters room+ plays with child
Mother returns + stranger leaves
Results of SS
B: Secure attachment (60-65%)
A: Anxious avoidant (20%)
C: Anxious resistant (12%)
Measured contact maintaining, proximity, contact seeking, avoidance, resistance, sensitivity to caregiver
Evaluation of SS
Valid as measures true aim
Reliable as replicable
Doesn’t focus on ID + cultural differences
No demand characteristics
Ethical issues for distress but was avoided wherever possible
Hazen + Shaver (1987) aim
Researched early attachments forming templates for later romantic partners
Used a questionnaire related to childhood relationship with parents + individual beliefs about romantic relationships
Results of Hazen + Shaver
Was published in the local newspaper + received 620 replies
Categorised into securely + insecurely attached
Found those who were securely attached were more likely to believe in romantic relationships being enduring + trusting
Insecurely attached people though of relationships to be obsession + jealousy
Hazen + Kilpatrick (1994)
Replicated Hazen + Shaver with same respondents + 30% changes attachment type 4 years onwards
X self reported data so demand characteristics
X sampling bias as volunteer sample so not representative
X reliant on memory so retrospective
Maternal Deprivation
The loss of emotional care that is normally provided by a primary caregiver