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Developmental Psychology > Lecture 8 - Attachment > Flashcards

Lecture 8 - Attachment Flashcards

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1
Q

What was Ainsworth (1979)’s definition of attachment?

A

“a deep-seated emotional tie that one individual forms with another, binding them together in space and enduring over time”

  • not born with it
  • hard to identify
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2
Q

Why do Ainsworth say attachmennt was important?

A

Promotes security - safe base for exploration

- Infant uses smiles, hugs, following to promote attachment and ensure security

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3
Q

Why do Bowbly say attachmennt was important?

A
  • Protects child from danger
  • “Mother love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins are for physical health”
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4
Q

What were Maccoby (1980)s 4 signs of infant attachment

A
  1. Proxmity to CG - use distress to bring them close, follow/ gaze at them
  2. Distress on seperation
  3. Happy on reunion
  4. orient actions to CG
    - once mobile, they move/ follow CG, not just stare at them
    - develop stranger anxiety
  • all 4 inidicate an attachment to have taken place
  • evident at 7-9 months
  • fear of strangers, discriminate people
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5
Q

What are assumptions of attachment theory?

A
  • Parent plays central role
  • Cognitive, sensori-motor skills necessary for attachment (e.g. OP) - develops around 7-9 months
  • Learning in social interactions is important - watching others, learn to how to act by how CG treats child
  • learns cause and effect
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6
Q

What was Bowbly studying?

A
  • Evolutionary-ethological approach
  • Inspired by darwin - attachment has surival function
  • Need for proxmity to CG seen across species - ensure protection
  • Argued children are active in attachment relationship
  • Secure base in 2nd half of 1st year
  • changes/ develops over life span
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7
Q

Outline Bowbly’s phases of attachment (1969)

A
  1. No discrimination (in orientation/ signals) 0-5 months
    - reacts same to all
  2. Preferential people 5-7 months
    - Better comforted by CG (start of attachment),not much stranger anxiety tho
  3. Preferential proximity 7-9 months
    - to discriminated person via signals/ moving. Try to keep CG close
    - attachment develops
  4. Goal-corrected 2/3 years
    - Child can accomodate to CG’s needs and follow instructions
  5. Lessening attachment (proximity) school age +
    - Attachment becomes abstract, trust, approval, affection etc
    - Doesnt mind beng seperated
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8
Q

To whom are attachments made?

A
  • used to believe it was just to mother - now its multiple, but strongest is to mother
  • Qualities of CG important: responsive, interactive, playfull - not just being a standard CG
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9
Q

Oultine Schaffer & Emerson (1964)

A
  • Interview scottish mothers
  • asked who infant was attached to
    •7-9 months: 29% had +1 attachment figure
    • 18 months: 87% had +1 attachment figure
    • 33% infants had strongest attachment to someone not mother
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10
Q

Outline Fox (1977)

A
  • Israeli Kibbutzim
  • children were in a nursery with a nurse, spending most of time without mother
  • 1-2 year olds were strongly attached to both mother and nurse - both provided safe base/ reassurance
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11
Q

explai Fox (1977) findings: Why?

A

In agricultural societies - mothers in the field and infant is left with relatives - mother would breast feed though

  • Other people have CG roles but infant still forms attachments
  • Indicates attachment = universal component of dev
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12
Q

Outline the SS - Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters & Wahls (1978)

A
  • measures how ‘well’ attached/ how secure infants are to CG
  • 12-24 month infants
  • CG acted as safe base/ comforter
  • can the CG comfort them?
  • 7/8 episodes
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13
Q

In SS what should a secure infant show?

A
  • explore when CG present
  • stressed when CG absent
  • Comforted when CG returns
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14
Q

Outline SS procedure

A
  1. M and I in room, I explores (3 mins)
  2. S enters, sits 1 min, talks to M 1 min, plays with I 1 min
  3. M leaves, S plays with I then just watches, (up to 3 mins)
  4. M returns, S leaves, M settles I for 3 mins, reaction noted
  5. M leaves, I alone (for up to 3 mins) - looks at seperation anxiety
  6. S enters attempts to settle I then withdraw if can ((3 mins)
  7. M returns, S leaves, M settles I and sits down
    END
    X - unethical, can be terminated if so
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15
Q

What was the infant rated on?

A
  • CG directed behaviour - +/-, e.g. smile/ seperation anx
  • Seeking/ maintaining contact, distance interactions, avoidance/ resistant to contact
  • Responses to strangers, comforted?
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16
Q

Outline Type A

A

Insecure - Avoidance

  • avoids CG
  • stranger is as effective at calming
  • appears indifferent to CG, doesnt cry when they leave
  • May look away from CG as they return
  • May cry just because they are alone, not cos CG has gone
17
Q

Outline TYpe B

A

Secure

  • Actively seeks contact with CG
  • Seperation anxiety, no comforted by Stranger, happy when CG returns
  • explores when CG is there (safe base)
  • comforted quickly by CG
18
Q

Outline Type C

A

Insecure - Ambivalent

  • Some contact/ some resistance
  • Upset when CG leaves, mixed emotion when they return
  • May ignore, yet seek proximity at same time
  • less initial exploration
  • not calmed
19
Q

What were Ainsworths findings?

A 
65% = secure
21% = avoidance
14% = ambivalent/ resistance
20
Q

Evaluate Ainsworth

A

√ - universally recognised
X - small, western sample (white, USA)
X - tendendcy to compare A/C to B, or see secure as ‘best’
X - Ignores temperament which may explain behaviour
X - shouldnt label child as insecure - its the relationship
X - can be different with other attachment figures

21
Q

Who came up with 4th attachment type?

A

Main & Soloman (1986, 1990)

22
Q

Outline Main & Soloman (1986, 1990) 4th attachment type

A
  • looked at discarded video tapes of those not fitting A, B or C

Type D: disorganised

  • disorientated/ contradictory behaviours
  • inconsistent, bizarre behaviour on seperation/ reunion
  • E.g. freezing, rocking, crying, didnt want CG but climbed them
  • Walked backwards to CG - wanted attention but not too look at them
  • can’t make organised decisiions to help their distress
23
Q

What groups are more likely to be disorganised?

A

Abused/ maltreated, depressed mothers, parental addictions

24
Q

Outline differences in America, Germany and Japan

A
  • America: 70% B, 21% A, 14% C
  • Germany: 40-50% A (germans encourage independence)
  • Japan: 35% type C

X - not standardised, different CG’s different researchers

25
Q

Outline Japanese in SS

A
  • Very very distressed when left alone at 12 months
  • Rare for them to be alone before 12 months
  • mothers immediately reassure children in japan - no chance for avoidance
26
Q

How does disorganised attachment come about?

A
  • Fear of CG
    or
  • Witnessing CG show fear - trauma
  • lack of warm home env
  • Parents unresolved mental state (abuse, sudden death of child = type D child)
  • High maternal EE - extreme over involvement/ over critical
  • type D leads to problems later in childhood, aggression, mental health issues
  • Hughes et al (2001) still birth study
27
Q

Outline O’connor & Croft (2010)

A

Twin study into attachment types

  • 70% concordance in MZ
  • 64% in DZ
  • not significant - genetics not have an impact?
28
Q

Outline Maternal sensitivity as an environmental cause of attachment type

A
  • Quality/ sensitivity of mother-infant interactions can predict attachment classification
  • rejecting/ ignoring infants signals = type D
  • inconsistent parenting = type C
29
Q

Outline Maternal Mind Mindedness as an environmental cause of attachment type

A

Meins et al (2001)

  • maternal sensitivity predicted attachment security
  • adults ability to treat infant as individual with own mind
  • not just responding to crying
  • take into account emotions/ feelings/ preferences
30
Q

Outline IWM’s as an environmental cause of attachment type

A

How to interact with others
- template for other relationships, CG- infant interactions tell infant how to behave, and how others are likely to behave

31
Q

Outline limitations of attachment theory

A

X - cultural and individual differences ignored (temperament/ traits)
X - Bowlby didnt study it over lifetime, just said it was important for later life, but not how
X - attachment not often assessed beyond infancy
√ - new work assesses attachment in pre-school, school age and adults

Developmental Psychology (9 decks)

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