Development of attachment Flashcards
Define attachment
An emotional relationship between individuals
Till 1950, what was the bond between mother and child due to
hunger drive/feeding
What did the nature of love by Harry Harlow postulate?
In 1958, nursing provides contact-comfort
What did john bowlbey say about attachment
biologically based, imprinting
infants behaviours are meant to elicit protection
What did mary ainsworth says about bonding
Parent is a secure base for exploration
What three types of children were classed by Mary ainsworth via strange situation
Secure, avoidant, ambivalent
What fourth category was added to mary ainsworths three classes of maternal attachment?
disorganized
Define imprinting
Biologically based
iii. A form of learning in which a very young animal fixes its attention on the first object it comes with which it has visual, auditory, or tactile experiences, and follows that object thereafter
Example of fly away home
Define phase 1
- birth to 12 weeks
- indiscriminate social responsiveness
- crying produces physiological response in mother
- attention not focussed exclusively on primary caregiver
Define phase 2
- 2-7 months
- discriminate social responsiveness
- strangers assume second-class status
- social referencing
Define phase 3
- 8 months to 2.5 years
- Separation protest
- secure base
- fear becomes dominant emotion
- primary and secondary attachment figures
Phase 4 definition
- 3+ years
- goal corrected partnerships
- transfer of symbolic representation of relationships to peers and other intimate partners
What are the four attachment behaviours
Secure, Anxious avoidant, anxious ambivalent/resistant, disorganized/disoriented
Define secure attachment
- explores freely when parent present
2. seeks out mother when after separation and is soothed
Define anxious avoidant
- explores with or without caregivers absence
2. does not seek out caregiver after separation
Define anxious ambivalent/resistant
- stays close to mother, does not explore freely
2. both seeks and rejects parent after separation
Define disorganized/disoriented
- May freeze, explores in disorganized fashion
2. may go to caregiver after separation, dazed expression of fear
Characteristics of the primary caregiver that influence the nature of the attachment behaviours (4)
Sensitivity
socioeconomic status
depression
intergenerational influences (how the parents themselves were raised)
Characteristics of the child that influence the nature of the attachment behaviours (2)
- negative emotionality
- children who display inhibition, may impact prognosis in lab setting - colic
- some kids just cry all the time
three qualities of a sensitive parent
i. Responsive to signals
ii. Effective at soothing
iii. Warm
What two factors affect attachment stability
Continuity of care
environmental changes
What attachment styles are characteristic of externalizing problems?
disorganized type and avoidant type
What attachment styles are characteristic of internalizing problems?
disorganized type and ambivalent type
Consequences of secure attachment
i. Greater positive perception of self
ii. Does better on achievement tests
iii. Greater language skills
Better school adjustment
Consequences of anxious avoidant attachment
i. Less socially competent
ii. Conduct disorders
iii. More likely to get picked on in school and rejected by teachers
iv. Difficulty with emotional closeness
Consequences of anxious ambivalent/ resistant attachment
i. More likely to get pampered by teachers, but picked on in school
ii. Anxiety disorders
Struggle with cognitive and social problem solving
Consequences of disorganized/ disoriented attachment
i. Substantial problems in school
ii. Substantial aggression
iii. Self-injury
Conduct disorders
What is known about influence of daycare
- Placing a child in daycare does not impact the security of the childs attachment to the primary caregiver.
- However, insensitive mothers who leave their kids in day care a lot, kids don’t get that sensitivity at daycare, or have many different child care arrangements are more likely to become insecurely attached
- less positively engaged with mother when they had been sent to daycare
- Kids who spent more time in day care have more behaviour problems in kindergarden