Individual Differences in Child Psychology

Question 1

child and adult attachments

Answer 1

Kagan (1984) temperament hypothesis
Innate individual temperament of child can dictate whether secure insecure attachment is formed little to do with internal working model

Question 2

Strange situation procedure

Answer 2

Marina Fuertes et al (2006)
Sensitive responsiveness of mothers and attachment bond secured
Sensitivity of mother and temperament of child has overwhelming influence and attachment type contradicting Ainsworths maternal sensitivity hypothesis

Question 3

Disadvantages of daycare

Answer 3

Some children, maybe more resistant, able to cope with separation better than others
Daycare may provide children with social skills but shy children may be adversely affected

Question 4

Name the individual differences

Answer 4

Privation
Deprivation
Attachment
Daycare

Question 5

Day care individual differences

Answer 5

-Some children are most resilient to cope better with separation. Day care may provide independent and outgoing children with social skills, but shy children may be adversely affected by the constant background of social activity.

-Pluess and Belsky 2010 = children rated with difficult temperaments were affected differentially by both good and poor quality day care. Difficult temperaments benefited most from good quality but suffered most from poor quality environment.

(The good quality helps regulate their emotions in a supportive, sensitive environment but become overwhelmed by poor quality environments leading to academic and behavioural problems.

Question 6

Attachment individual differences

Answer 6

Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis versus Kagan’s 1984 temperament hypothesis suggesting the innate individual temperament can dictate attachment formed…

Marina Fuertes et al 2006 48 Portuguese babies [expand] found it was moreso individual temperament that determined attachment type formed than maternal sensitivity, opposing Ainsworth’s maternal sensitivity hypothesis

Question 7

Short term effects of deprivation indiv diff

Answer 7

Robertson’s John depended partially on resilience to separation.

John was shy while other children were more assertive or aggressive, accounting for John’s distress at separation. John was only 17 months old, likely older children wouldn’t have experienced such extreme effects