Lecture 3 - Harlow & Harlow Flashcards
What is attachment in psychology?
Attachment is an emotional bond between an infant and one or a few significant adult caregivers (typically the mother).
What were the early psychological approaches to attachment?
Early approaches focused on oral gratification (psychodynamic theory) and behaviorism, which emphasized meeting basic needs like hunger and thirst, rather than emotional bonds.
What did Harlow’s monkey studies reveal about attachment?
Harlow’s studies showed that infant monkeys preferred comfort and emotional security (cloth mother) over the wire mother that provided food, highlighting the importance of emotional bonding over basic needs.
What are the effects of social isolation in Harlow’s studies?
Monkeys isolated from their mothers exhibited severe behavioral issues, such as fear, self-harming behaviors, inability to form social structures, and difficulty mating. The effects were long-lasting but less severe when isolation was less than 6 months.
What is the concept of maternal sensitivity?
Maternal sensitivity refers to a caregiver’s ability to recognize and appropriately respond to their child’s cues, which is important for developing secure attachment.
What are the 4 stages of attachment according to Bowlby?
- Pre-attachment (0-3 months): Infants show no preference for specific caregivers.
- Indiscriminate attachment (3-7 months): Infants begin to show preferences for familiar people.
- Discriminate attachment (7-9 months): Infants develop separation anxiety and fear strangers.
- Multiple attachments (9+ months): Infants form attachments with others, such as grandparents.
What did Bowlby believe about the importance of attachment?
Bowlby believed that attachment is an adaptive behavior that helps infants survive. Children are biologically programmed to form attachments during a sensitive period of development.
What attachment types did Ainsworth identify in her Strange Situation study?
Ainsworth identified 3 main attachment types:
1. Securely attached
2. Insecure-avoidant
3. Insecure-resistant
What criticisms exist regarding Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?
The Strange Situation has low ecological validity because it takes place in a controlled lab setting, and may not reflect real-world interactions. Additionally, it has been criticized for cultural bias, as attachment patterns may differ across cultures.
What is the difference between privation and deprivation?
Privation is the complete lack of attachment (e.g., Genie case).
Deprivation refers to the loss of an attachment after it has been formed.
What were the findings of the Genie case study?
Genie was a girl who suffered extreme privation after being isolated for most of her early life. While she recovered some abilities through education, she continued to struggle with language and social skills.
What did Goldfarb’s 1947 study suggest about institutionalization?
Goldfarb’s study found that children placed in foster homes before 9 months developed better than those who were institutionalized. Institutionalized children were more fearful, restless, and showed delays in cognitive development.
What is the importance of peer interaction in attachment and development?
Peer interactions are crucial for social development. Harlow’s work emphasized that social relationships with peers help form healthy social structures and emotional development, especially after isolation.
How does daycare affect social and cognitive development?
High-quality daycare can improve social and cognitive skills, but the effects depend on the quality of care. Positive effects are especially significant for children from working-class backgrounds.
What did Broberg et al.’s 1997 study suggest about daycare?
Broberg et al.’s study found that children who attended day nurseries had better verbal and mathematical abilities than those cared for by childminders or stayed at home.
What did Clarke-Stewart et al.’s study find about daycare?
Clarke-Stewart et al. found no significant difference in distress between children in high-level and low-level daycare when separated from their mothers. High-quality daycare can improve social competence and coping skills in children.
What is the critique of Bowlby’s stage theory?
Bowlby’s stage theory has been criticized for being rigid and ignoring individual differences in attachment development. It also does not account for cultural differences in attachment patterns.
What did Ainsworth’s research contribute to attachment theory?
Ainsworth’s research, through the Strange Situation experiment, provided empirical evidence for different attachment types and demonstrated how attachment patterns influence emotional and social development.
