Lecture 10 Flashcards
What is affection?
Attachment refers to a strong, affectionate tie with another person. This connection reflects trust towards the other person.
How does a kid react in a stage of relaxation?
Relaxation is reflected by pleasure and joy when interacting with other people. Exploration is also a sign of relaxation, as there are feelings of safety. For example, a baby/child starts exploring the surroundings.
How does a kid react in a stage of distress?
Distress is reflected in the lack of such traits, which leads the child to seek comforting. For example, a baby/child that crawls into the lap or clings onto the leg of a parent.
What is an internal working model of attachment?
It is a mental representation formed through a child’s early experiences with their primary caregiver. This mental representation influences how the child interacts and builds relationships with others as they grow. It also explains the differences in human behaviour among people.
What characterises Harlow’s experiment?
2 dolls: one with comfort but no food and one with food but no comfort.
What does Bowbley’s Ethological theory of attachment state?
It acknowledges the evolutionary benefit of attachment (survival through safety and competence) but it argues that feeding is not the most important aspect.
What are the stages of attachment? What are the periods of their development?
Pre-attachment (birth to six weeks); Attachment in the making (6 weeks to 8 months), clear cut attachment (8 months to 18 months), reciprocal relationships (18 months and on)
What characterises each developmental stage?
Pre-attachment: Infants attract caregivers with eye contact and signals like grasping, crying, smiling and gazing. Positive responses from the infant keep the caregiver close. This closeness comforts the infant. Infants recognise the caregiver’s scent, voice and face. Infants are not yet attached to the caregiver, hence they do not mind being alone with unfamiliar people and they do not fear strangers.
Attachment in making: Infants babble and smile more –and calm more quickly when picked up– with familiar caregivers than with strangers. Infants begin to develop a sense of trust –expecting a predictable response from the caregiver. Infants still do not mind being separated from the caregiver.
Clear cut attachment: Attachment is evident. Babies become upset and experience separation anxiety when the caregiver leaves. The occurrence of separation anxiety depends on the infant’s temperament, adult behaviour and the specific situation. The baby may show distress when the primary caregiver leaves, but the anxiety can be short lived if the replacement caregiver is empathetic and supportive.
Reciprocal relationships: Separation anxiety decreases as language and cognitive skills grow. Toddlers can understand some of the circumstances influencing the caregiver’s comings and goings and can predict their return. As they get older, toddlers grow less dependent on the caregivers and more confident that they will be accessible and responsive in times of need.
What are some cultural variations?
Individualistic- Germany; anxious/resistant- Japan
What are the 4 factors that influence the type of attachment?
Early availability of a consistent caregiver, the quality of caregiving, baby’s characteristics, the family context and the parent’s internal working models.
What are the types of attachment?
secure, avoidant, ambivalent, disorganised
What characterises a secure attachment style?
A baby that has a secure attachment style would start exploring the room after the mother introduces them to the environment and would immediately start crying after the mother has left, out of fear of being abandoned. When the mother returns they will be comforted by her presence and would soon gain more interest in exploring the environment. The baby believes and trusts the caregiver that their needs will be met.
What characterises an avoidant attachment style?
An avoidant baby shows signs of interest in the toys in the mother’s presence and cries after she leaves but shows expressions of disappointment after the mother has returned. The reunion is not affective and comforting for the baby. The child subconsciously believes that their needs probably won’t be med by the caregiver.
What characterises an ambivalent attachment style?
An ambivalent/resistant baby shows interest in the toys in the mother’s presence and cries after she leaves but cannot be comforted after she returns. He keeps crying and refuses the toys that the mother offers in order to calm him down. The baby wants the mother back but can’t use the contact. It is possible that, in the past, the mother has been inconsistent. Ambivalent babies show signs of anger and insecurity. The baby cannot rely on their needs being met.
What characterises a disorganised attachment style?
In the case of a disorganised attachment, the baby is depressed, angry, completely passive and non-responsive. This is caused by the extreme, erratic, frightened or frightening, passive or intrusive behaviour of the mother. The baby is severely confused with no strategy to have their needs met.
