Glossary

Question 1

Affectionless psychopathy

Answer 1

A term used by Bowlby to describe people who don’t show concern or affection for other people and show no or very little remorse or guilt.

Question 2

Asocial stage

Answer 2

Stage from 0-6 weeks where infant may respond to faces or voices but an attachment has not been formed.

Question 3

Attachment

Answer 3

Two-way enduring emotional tie to another person.

Question 4

Contact comfort

Answer 4

The physical and emotional comfort that an infant receives from being close to it’s mother.

Question 5

Continuity hypothesis

Answer 5

The idea that early relationships with caregivers predict later relationships in adulthood.

Question 6

Critical period

Answer 6

A time period where an attachment has to form or it never will.

Question 7

Disinhibited attachment

Answer 7

Child shows equal affection to strangers as they do people they know well.

Question 8

Evolutionary explanation

Answer 8

Explanation for behaviour such as attachment that views it as increasing survival chances.

Question 9

Imprinting

Answer 9

Where offspring follow the first large-moving object they see.

Question 10

Indiscriminate attachment

Answer 10

Infants aged 2-7 months can discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people but does not show stranger anxiety.

Question 11

Innate behaviour

Answer 11

A behaviour that is instinctive and does not need to be learned.

Question 12

Insecure avoidant attachment

Answer 12

Attachment classification in Strange Situation where child shows low stranger and separation anxiety and little response to reunion.

Question 13

Insecure resistant attachment

Answer 13

Attachment classification in Strange Situation where child shoes high stranger and separation anxiety and resists comfort at reunion.

Question 14

Institutionalisation

Answer 14

The effects of growing up in an institution, such as a children’s home or orphanage.

Question 15

Interactional synchrony

Answer 15

Infant and caregiver reflect each other’s actions and emotions in a coordinated manner.

Question 16

Internal working model

Answer 16

Mental representation of our relationship with our primary caregiver that becomes a template for future relationships.

Question 17

Learning theory

Answer 17

Explanations that emphasis the role of learning in acquiring behaviours such as attachment.

Question 18

Mental deprivation hypothesis

Answer 18

Separation from the mother figure in early childhood has serious consequences.

Question 19

Monotropy

Answer 19

A unique and close attachment to one person - the primary attachment figure.

Question 20

Multiple attachments

Answer 20

Formation of emotional bonds with more than one carer

Question 21

Privation

Answer 21

Failure to form an attachment in early childhood.

Question 22

Proximity seeking

Answer 22

The way that infants try to maintain physical contact or be close to their attachment figure.

Question 23

Reciprocity

Answer 23

Infant and caregiver match each other’s responses.

Question 24

Secure attachment

Answer 24

Most desirable attachment classification in Strange Situation where child shows separation anxiety, stranger anxiety and joy on reunion.

Question 25

Sensitive period

Answer 25

The best time period over which attachments can form.

Question 26

Separation anxiety

Answer 26

Degree of distress shown by the child when separated from the caregiver.

Question 27

Social releasers

Answer 27

Innate behaviours shown by an infant that lead to a caregiving response.

Question 28

Specific attachment

Answer 28

Infants aged 7 months tend to show a strong attachment to one particular person and are wary of strangers.

Question 29

Strange Situation

Answer 29

A controlled observation used to test children’s attachment patterns.

Question 30

Stranger anxiety

Answer 30

Degree of distress shown by an infant when with unfamiliar people.

Question 31

Temperament

Answer 31

The characteristics and aspects of personality an infant is born with and that might impact on it’s attachment type