Lecture 2: Attachment Theory

Question 1

What is attachment theory?

Answer 1

• The experience of felt safety that infants and young children develop that allows them to explore and learn about the world through play, practice and skill development

Question 2

What are the 4 basic conditions required for an attachment relationship?

Answer 2

1. Proximity maintenance: the desire to be near the people we are attached to
2. Safe haven: returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of fear or threat
3. Secure base: the attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment
4. Separation distress: anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure

Question 3

What are Ainsworth’s categories of security?

Answer 3

Type A: insecure avoidant
Type B: secure
Type C: insecure resistant or ambivalent
Type D: disorganised

Question 4

How do insecure categories develop?

Answer 4

When caregiver is unresponsive to child’s needs

Question 5

Type B: secure details

Answer 5

• A reciprocal interaction between child and parent - child feels safe and protected and can explore the environment

Question 6

Type A: insecure avoidant details

Answer 6

• Caregiver is unresponsive or overstimulating - child avoids seeking comfort (have negative expectations that their needs are not going to be met)

Question 7

Type C: insecure resistant or ambivalent details

Answer 7

• Inconsistent interaction: one day the caregiver may be loving but other days may be aloof and non-responsive (makes child confused and unsure about how they’re going to be received)

Question 8

Type D: disorganised details

Answer 8

• Interactions are unsafe - caregiver is disorganised with their interaction with the child

Question 9

What are internal working models?

Answer 9

• Internalised stories that we develop that are based on the communication we get from the caregiver
• They help with the development of self

Question 10

IWM in secure attachments

Answer 10

• Belief of the child is that they are worthy - secure in the ability of other to assist them

Question 11

IWM in insecure attachments

Answer 11

• Belief of the child is that they are not worthy - they become insecure about the availability of others

Question 12

What is co-regulation in attachment theory?

Answer 12

Attachment figure regulates infant’s currently unregulated behaviour - using the caregivers knowledge of a situation to determine their response

Question 13

What is intergenerational transmission?

Answer 13

Parenthood brings out elements of our psychology that seem to take over despite our best intentions
- Often behave in ways with our children that replicate what we experienced with our parent

Question 14

Harlow’s work

Answer 14

• Monkey studies
  >that love is an important thing that happens between parents and children
  >the relationship between parent and child is more than just about food