Lesson 1: Stages Of Attachment

Question 1

Define attachment

Answer 1

An emotional bond between two people. It is a 2 way process that endures over time

Question 2

What are the stages of attachment, and the age this develops?

Answer 2

• Pre-attachment: 0-3 months
• Indiscriminate attachment: 3-7 months
• Discriminate attachment: 7+ months
• Multiple attachment: 7+ months

Question 3

Describe the stages of attachment in detail

Answer 3

• Pre-attachment: From 6 weeks, infants become attached to other humans, preferring them over objects. This is demonstrated by smiling
• Indiscriminate attachment: Infants discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar faces. They smile more at familiar faces but allow strangers to handle them
• Discriminate attachment: Infants develop a specific attachment to their primary attachment figure, and show separation protest and display stranger anxiety. Psychologists believe that the primary attachment figure did not have to be the person who spent the most time with the child, but the one with the best quality relationship
• Multiple attachment: After developing their primary attachment, they develop strong emotional ties with other caregivers (secondary attachments). The fear of strangers weakens but attachment remains strongest with the primary attachment.

Question 4

Evaluation of Stages of Attachment

Answer 4

• Data collected by psychologists could be unreliable because it was based on Mother’s report on the infant, and some mothers may have been less sensitive, and less likely to report protests
• Sample was biased because it includes infants from a working class population, so cannot be generalised
• Sample was biased because it only used infants from individualist cultures.
• Study does not have Temporal validity as it was conducted in the 1960s, more women go to work now
• Theory is inflexible and do not consider individual differences. (Some infants form multiple attachment rather than a single attachment)

Question 5

What is the Role of the Father?

Answer 5

• Fathers are less likely to be primary attachment as they spend less time with infants
• May not be as psychologically equipped to form intense attachments as they don’t have emotional sensitivity: could be due to biological/social factors
• Oestrogen underlies caring behaviour so women are more orientated to interpersonal goals.
• Some cultures have stereotypes that it is feminine to be sensitive to the needs of others.
• Men do form attachments with their children in single parent households
• They are important secondary attachment figures as studies show men are more playful, physically active and better providing challenging situations for their children than mothers are