Paper 1 - Attachment

Question 1

Caregiver + infant interactions - Reciprocity: (taking in turns)

Answer 1

• Jaffe - Babies move in rhythm when interacting with an adult almost as if they are taking it in turns.
• Brazleton - Interaction described as a ‘dance’ where each partner responds to each other’s moves.

Question 2

Caregiver + Infant interactions - Interactional Synchrony: (Mirror actions)

Answer 2

• Meltzoff + Moore - Interactional Synchrony begins as young as 2 weeks.
• An adult displays one of 3 facial expressions and one of 3 gestures child’s response was filmed and identified by an independent observer.
• An association was found between the expression the adult had displayed and the actions of the baby.

Question 3

Weakness: Reciprocity and Interactional Synchrony:

Answer 3

Individual differences may influence the findings of the research as research found that more strongly attached infant and caregiver pairs showed greater interactional synchrony. Therefore, this questions the validity of the explanation of interactional synchrony as it suggests a correlation between causality of signals and synchrony off an action.

Question 4

Weakness: Reciprocity and Interactional Synchrony:

Answer 4

There are problems with testing on infants as infant’s mouths are in fairly constant motion and the expressions tested occur frequently. E.g. a baby may smile at a teddy bear or toy they play with so it is difficult to distinguish between general activity and imitated behaviour. Therefore, this questions the validity of the research because it is difficult to establish the relationship between the cause and effect.

Question 5

Strength: Reciprocity and Interactional Synchrony:

Answer 5

A strength of this research is that it used controlled observations. Observations of mother and infant interactions are well controlled procedures which are often films so fine detail of behaviour can be recorded and analysed. Also, babies don’t know they are being observed or care which means their behaviour is natural. Therefore, this adds to the validity of the research because the babies don’t know they are being observed so they won’t change their natural behaviour. Therefore, the researcher can be sure they are measuring what they intended to measure.

Question 6

Weakness: Reciprocity and Interactional Synchrony:

Answer 6

Observations describe the behaviour but don’t explain the behaviour. Feldman points out that reciprocity and interactional synchrony simply describe behaviours that occur at the same time. Observations don’t tell us their purpose or why babies demonstrate these behaviors. This questions the validity of the research because it does not exactly explain how and why recent interactions between infants therefore, the research is unable to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Question 7

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: AIM

Answer 7

• The age at which infants became attached.
• Who they became attached to.
• Whether it is possible to develop multiple attachments.

Question 8

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: METHOD

Answer 8

Schaffer + Emerson conducted a Longitudinal study on 60 working class Glaswegain infants. They visited children at monthly intervals in their homes for the 1st year. They observed their interactions with their caregivers - then caregivers were interviewed about the infant’s behaviour. They measured it through separation anxiety and stranger anxiety.

Question 9

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: stage 1

Answer 9

. Stage 1 - (Asocial stage 1st week) Babies behaviour towards humans and objects is similar and are happier in the presence of other humans.

Question 10

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: Stage 2

Answer 10

. Stage 2 - (Indiscriminate attachment 2-7 months) Babies usually accept cuddles + comfort from ANY adult don’t show separation anxiety or stranger anxiety.

Question 11

Strength: Stages of attachment:

Answer 11

Schaffer and Emerson’s study was carried out in families’ homes and most of the observations were done by the parents. Therefore, the behaviour of the babies was unlikely to be affected by the presence of an observer. This adds to the external validity of the research because the research findings can be generalised to other settings which increases the ecological validity.

Question 11

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: Stage 3

Answer 11

. Stage 3 - (Specific attachment around 7 months) Babies being able to show stranger anxiety and become anxious when separated from one particular adult - usually biological mother.

Sensitive responsiveness who offers most interaction.

Question 12

Schaffer’s stages of attachment: Stage 4

Answer 12

. Stage 4 - (Multiple attachments from 8 months) Babies can gain secondary attachments to other adults they spend time with E.g. grandparents + siblings.

Question 13

Weakness: Stages of attachment:

Answer 13

The sample used was unrepresentative as the sample was from a working-class population from Scotland and took place in the 1960s and parental care has changed since then, and more mothers go to work now. Child rearing practice vary from culture to culture and from time to time. If both parents go to work this could cause the baby to make multiple attachments from a much earlier age. This questions the external validity of Schaffer’s stages of attachment because it is difficult to generalise to other social and historical context.

Question 13

Weakness: Stages of attachment:

Answer 13

Schaffer’s stages of attachment explanation is culturally relative. Psychologist who work in cultural contexts where multiple caregivers are the norm, believe babies from multiple attachments from the outset. Such cultures are called collectivist because families work together jointly in everything. This questions the validity of Schaffer’s explanation of attachment because you cannot be certain that the behavior would occur in all cultures as some cultures would deem them to be abnormal therefore, you cannot generalise the findings to one culture.

Question 14

Weakness: Stages of attachment:

Answer 14

There may be a problem with how multiple attachments are measured. Just because a baby gets distressed when an individual leaves the room does not mean that the individual is a true attachment figure. Bowlby pointed out that children get distressed when a playmate leaves the room, but this does not signify attachment. This questions the validity of Schaffer and Emerson’s explanation of attachment because they do not provide a way to distinguish between behaviour shown towards secondary attachment figures and playmates.

Question 15

what is the key to attachment: Field

Answer 15

level of responsiveness not the gender of the parent

Question 15

The role of the father: Field’s assumption:

Answer 15

Primary caregiver fathers, like the mothers spent more time smiling, imitating, and holding infants than the secondary caregivers. This behaviour is important in building attachment with the infant and father (nurturing attachment figure)

Question 16

The role of the father: Geiger’s assumption:

Answer 16

Fathers have an important role to play as secondary attachment figures. Fathers are more playful, physically active, and generally better at providing challenging situations for their children (Father = exiting playmate) + (Mothers = conventional)

Question 17

what is key to attachment: Geiger

Answer 17

More present + physically active you become with your child will help you to form stronger bonds + connections

Question 18

The role of the father: Grossman’s assumption:

Answer 18

A study looking at both parents behaviour and its relationship to the quality of the children’s attachments in their teen. The quality of infant’s attachment with mothers but not fathers was related to children’s attachment in adolescence suggesting that father attachment is less important.

Question 19

What is key to attachment: Grossman

Answer 19

The role of the father is redundant

Question 20

Strength: The role of the father:

Answer 20

The role of the father may be important not just for the children but for the mother too. Supportive fathers provide mothers with much needed time away from childcare this helps reduce stress on the mother’s, improve self-esteem and ultimately improve the quality of a mother’s relationship with her children. This adds to the validity of the explanations of the role of the father because it suggests the role of the father is not as redundant as Grossman suggested.

Question 21

A01: Lorenz imprinting: Method

Answer 21

• Lorenz divided a clutch of eggs into 2 halves:

. 1st half was left to hatch with the mother (control group)

. 2nd half were hatched in an incubator, first moving thing they saw was Lorenz

Question 22

Weakness: The role of the father:

Answer 22

There may be other factors influencing the role of the father in attachment. The fact that fathers tend not to become the primary attachment figure could simply be the results of traditional gender roles in which women are meant to be more caring and nurturing then men. Fathers may not feel that they should act like that. This questions the validity of the explanations of the role of the father because it refutes the idea that fathers can become the nurturing attachment figure.

Question 23

Strength: The role of the father:

Answer 23

The role of the father may be important in helping to provide support co-parenting. Brown found that high levels of supportive co-parenting were related to secure attachment types between infants and fathers, but not between infants and mothers. This adds to the validity of the explanation of the role of the father because the relationship between the father and child is visibly stronger therefore, the mum wouldn’t feel animosity towards the dad.

Question 24

Weakness: The role of the father:

Answer 24

There may be other factors influencing the role of the father in attachment. Children who grow up without fathers have often seen to do less well at school and have higher levels of risk taking and aggression. However, may of the families in these studies come from poor socio-economic backgrounds and it may be social factor related to poverty that produce these outcomes, not the absence of the father. This questions the validity of the explanations of the orle of the father because it ignores other risk factors that predict future bevahiour.

Question 25

A01: Lorenz imprinting: Results

Answer 25

• Control group: followed their mother goose everywhere whereas the 2nd group followed Lorenz. He marked the goslings when they hatched; each gosling went straight to it’s ‘mother figure’.

Lorenz identified a critical period in which imprinting needs to take place - depending on the species. If imprinting does not occur within that critical period, then chicks did not match themselves to a mother figure.

Question 26

A01: Harlow contact comfort: Method

Answer 26

• 16 monkeys were removed from their mothers immediately after birth and placed in cages with access to 2 surrogate mothers.

. 8 monkeys could get milk from the WIRE mother

. 8 monkeys could get milk from the CLOTH mother

Question 27

A01: Harlow contact comfort: Results

Answer 27

Both groups of monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother (because of the feeling of the cloth)

2nd group only if hungry went to the wire mum and then back to the cloth mum + if something frightening was placed in the cage the monkey took refuge with the cloth mum

Question 28

A01: Harlow contact comfort: Conclusion

Answer 28

Contact comfort (provided by the cloth mum) was more important than food in the formation of attachment

Question 29

Weakness: Animal studies

Answer 29

There are problems with investigating animal behvaiour. Lorenzo was interested in imprinting birds and the attachment system of mammals and birds is quite different. Mammalian mums show more emotional attachment to young than birds do, and mammals may be able to form attachments at any time. This questions the validity of animal studies into attachment because it is difficult to generalise findings to humans.

Question 30

Weakness: Animal studies

Answer 30

There are ethical issues surrounding animal research. Harlow in particular faced serve criticism for the ethics of his research. The monkeys suffered greatly as a result of Harlow’s procedure. This species is considered similar enough to humans to be able to generalise the findings which also means that their suffering was presumably quite human-like. This questions the validity of animal studies into attachment because the monkeys went through a lot of suffering.

Question 31

Weakness: Animal studies

Answer 31

There is evidence to contradict Lorenz’s research. Research found that chicks imprinted on yellow washing up gloves would try to mate with them as adults, but that with experience they eventually learnt to prefer mating with other chickens. This questions the validity of animal studies into attachment because the impact of imprinting on mating behaviour is not as permanent as Lorenz believed.

Question 32

Strength: Animal studies

Answer 32

There are practical applications to Harlow’s research. Harlow showed that attachment does not develop as the result of being fed by a mother figure but as a result of contact comfort. Social workers have also used Harlow’s research to understand risk factors in child neglect and abuse which means they can often intervene and try to prevent it. This adds to the validity if animal studies into attachment because they can help understand attachment in everyday life.

Question 33

A01: Learning theory explanation of attachment - Assumption

Answer 33

Assumes that children become attached to their caregiver because they give them food ‘cupboard love’

Question 34

Learning theory explanation: How does the learning occur

Answer 34

learning theory uses both classical conditioning which is learning through association

+

Operant conditioning which is learning through consequence

Question 35

A01: learning theory: Classical Conditioning

Answer 35

Child learns to associate the carer with food. Food = unconditioned stimulus associated with pleasure. At the start carer is a neutral stimulus. Overtime, when the carer regularly feeds the child becomes associated with the food and becomes a conditioned stimulus which evokes pleasure.

Question 36

A01: Learning theory: Operant conditioning

Answer 36

If behaviour results in agreeable consequence it is likely to be repeated but if result is disagreeable it’s likely to decline. If crying is a result of feeding, then the consequences are pleasant, and crying is reinforced. Most carers dislike hearing a baby cry, so crying id a negative reinforcer. Smiling by the child is very rewarding and is therefore a positive reinforcer for the carer so behaves in a way to evoke smiling. An attachment bond is formed between carer and child.

Question 37

Weakness: Learning theory explanation of attachment

Answer 37

There is research evidence to contradict Learning Theory’s explanation of attachment from animal studies of attachment. Harlow conducted landmark research on attachments Harlow had 2 conditions one wire monkey wrapped in cloth one without cloth 8 monkeys each. All monkeys always choose the cloth monkey. This questions the validity of Learning Theory’s explanation of attachment because the findings suggest that infants do not develop an attachment to the person who feeds them but who offers them comfort.

Question 38

Weakness: Learning theory explanation of attachment

Answer 38

The Learning Theory explanation of attachment is reductionist. Learning Theory ignores other factors that may be important in explaining attachment. Research suggests that the quality of attachment is associated with factors like developing reciprocity and good levels of interactional synchrony. If attachment developed purely because of feeding, then there would be no purpose for these well documented interactions. This questions the validity of Learning Theory’s explanation of attachment because it is likely that attachment formation is much more complex with other factors such as contact comfort and stimulation also playing a role.

Question 39

Weakness: Learning theory explanation of attachment

Answer 39

There is research evidence to contradict Learning Theory’s explanation of attachment from Schaffer and Emerson. They conducted a longitudinal study on 60 Glaswegian infants, and they visited these infants at monthly intervals. By 18 months, nearly 30% had formed multiple attachment (siblings and grandparents). Attachments were most likely to form with those who responded accurately to the baby’s signals “sensitive responsiveness”. This questions the validity of the Learning Theory because the most important factor in forming attachments appears to not be who feeds the child but who plays, cuddles and communication with them.

Question 40

Weakness: Learning theory explanation of attachment

Answer 40

Evidence suggests that there is a newer Learning Theory explanation for attachment. Comes from Social Learning Theory is based on the idea that behvaiour is acquired because of modelling observing behaviour. Research suggests that parents teach children to love them by modelling attachment behaviour e.g. by hugging them and other family members and instructing and rewarding them with approval when they display attachment behaviour of their own. This questions the validity of Learning Theory because attachments occur because parents deliberately teach their children to love them and to understand human relationships.

Question 41

Bowlby’s monotropic theory: How it explains attachment

Answer 41

• Attachment between caregiver and infant is rooted in biology and evolution
• attachment behaviour have become programmed into human behaviour
• purpose and function of survival is it increases chances of survival

Question 41

Bowbly’s key principles: Adaptive

Answer 41

Increases the chance of survival (we have learnt this)

Question 42

Bowbly’s key principles: Social releasers

Answer 42

Babies are born with innate behaviors (smiling, cooing and griping)

Question 43

Bowbly’s key principles: Critical period

Answer 43

From 6 months -2 years infant attachment system is active Bowlby viewed this as a sensitive period if attachment isn’t formed child will find it harder later on

Question 44

Bowbly’s key principles: Monotropy

Answer 44

One main caregiver (mother) the more time spent with the mother the Bette it is for their attachment

Question 45

Strength: Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 45

There is evidence to support Bowlby’s continuity hypothesis. A researcher carried out a longitudinal study and followed ppts from infants to adolescence and found continuity between early attachment and later behaviour. Individuals who were classified as secure in infancy were rated the highest for social competence, less isolated, more popular and empathy. This adds validity to Bowlby’s explanation because it is one of his main principles therefore, there are explanations into attachment have high ecological validity.

Question 45

Strength: Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 45

There is an alternative explanation for Bowlby’s attachment explanation. Bowlby’s theory of attachment explains WHY attachments form whereas Learning Theory only explains HOW attachments form. Bowlby’s evolutionary theory of attachment also offers some advantages of attachment which include protection from harm and survival. This adds the validity of Bowlby’s explanation because it describes a clear cause attachment and the effect it has on the person in the future relationships.

Question 46

Bowbly’s key principles: Internal working model

Answer 46

“Blue print” for suture relationships is formed. Based on future experiences they expect all relationships to be loving and reliable

Question 47

Weakness: Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 47

There is research evidence to contradict Bowlby’s Theory. Researchers conducted a longitudinal study on 60 Glaswegian infants they visited the children at monthly intervals in their home and observed their interactions with their caregivers. By 18 months 30% had formed multiple attachments (siblings and grandparents). This questions validity because Bowlby states that in Monotropy stage you form one main attachment to the mother.

Question 48

Weakness: Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 48

There is research evidence to contradict Bowlby’s explanation. There is an alternative explanation by Kagan’s temperament hypothesis he suggested that innated temperamental characteristics which made infants ‘sociable’ or ‘anxious’ had a serious impact on the quality of the mother - infant relationship and the attachment type. These experiences believed would influence the individual throughout their relationships. This questions the validity of Bowlby’s explanation because it suggests that if a child doesn’t experience the internal working model, they cannot form a ‘blue-print’.

Question 49

A01: Ainsworth’s strange situation - Results INSECURE AVOIDANT

Answer 49

• Insecure avoidant (20-25%)

. When mother is present child explores the environment but returns often to caregiver

. When mother leaves low separation anxiety

. When stranger enters low stranger anxiety

. When mother returns child avoids contact on the reunion

Question 49

A01: Ainsworth’s strange situation - Results SECURE ATTACHMENT

Answer 49

• Secure (60-75%)

. when mother is present the child explores environment but little contact to caregiver.

. when mother leaves moderate separation anxiety

. when stranger enters moderate anxiety

. when mother returns easily calms at the reunion

Question 50

A01: Ainsworth’s strange situation - Procedure

Answer 50

• involves the child experiencing 8 ‘Episodes’:

. Child + caregiver enter an unfamiliar room.

. The child is encouraged to explore the room.

. A stranger comes in and tries to interact with the child.

. Caregiver leaves the child and the stranger together

. The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves.

. The caregiver leaves child alone.

. The stranger returns.

. Caregiver returns and is reunited with the child.

Question 51

A01: Ainsworth’s strange situation - Results INSECURE RESISTANT

Answer 51

• Insecure resistant (5-8%)

. When mother is present child does little exploration

. When mother leaves high separation anxiety

. When stranger enters high stranger anxiety

. When mother returns child is resistant to embrace on the reunion

Question 52

Strength: Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 52

Strange situation procedure has been found to have high reliability. Researchers tested babies at 18 months and then retested them at 6 years of age. They found that 100% of the secure babies were still classified as secure and 75% of the avoidant babies were still under the same classification. This means the strange situation rates high on test - retest reliability which shows results are always consistent. However, insecure resistant children do change as they get older as they have had to go to nursery.

Question 53

Strength: Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 53

The strange situation procedure is strongly predictive of later development. Babies assessed as secure typically go on to have better outcomes in many areas, ranging from success at school to romantic relationships and friendships in adulthood. Insecure resistant attachment is associated with the worst outcomes including bullying in later childhood and adult mental problems. This means stranger situation has high predictive validity.

Question 54

Weakness: Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 54

The strange situation procedure is a culture bound test. The strange situation does not have the same meaning outside Western cultures and the USA cultural differences in childhood experiences are likely to mean that children respond differently to the strange situation. For example in collectivist cultures people have grown up around more people so feel more comfortable. Also caregivers from different cultures behave differently. Research has noted that the test does not really work in Japan. Japanese mothers rarely separate from their babies so show very high levels of separation anxiety. This means the strange situation has low population validity.

Question 55

Weakness: Ainsworth’s strange situation

Answer 55

The strange situation may be affected by confounding variables. Research has suggested that temperament the genetically influenced personality of the child is more of an influence on the child’s behvaiour in the strange situation rather than attachment. For example, children with an avoidant attachment style they maybe be more introverted this questions the validity of the strange situation because it maybe innate.

Question 56

Definition of Cultural Variation:

Answer 56

Looks at different patterns of attachment found in other cultures and possible explanations for these differences.

Question 57

A01: Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg research - PROCEDURE

Answer 57

Carried out meta-analysis of 32 studies in 8 different countries on the observation of 2000 children

Question 58

Strength: Cultural variations in attachment

Answer 58

The use of meta-analysis is ethically sound. Because there was no new data collection involved in the study, no more children had to be put through the potentially traumatic ‘strange situation’ procedure. This means the explanation of cultural variations in attachment in not compromised by ethical issues.

Discussion: However, in the original studies the children would have suffered from psychological harm.

Question 58

A01: Van Ijzendoorn & Kroonenberg research - RESULTS

Answer 58

• Secure attachment was the most common attachment style
• Germany had high rates of insecure avoidant - Individualistic culture
• Israel & Japan had high rates of insecure resistant - Collectivist culture

Question 59

Strength: Cultural variations in attachment

Answer 59

Van Izendoorn and Krooenberg’s meta-analysis is that a large sample was used. There was a total of 2000 babies and their primary attachment figures. This reduces the impact of anomalous results caused by bad methodology. This means the explanation of cultural variations in attachment is valid.

Discussion: However, we don’t know if the original studies used standardised procedures and if everyone was treated the same.

Question 60

Describe The Critical Period:

Answer 60

First 0-2 years is a critical period is the child is deprived + separated from mother believed psychological damage was inevitable

Question 60

Weakness: Cultural variations in attachment

Answer 60

There are many differences in attachment not just across a number of cultures but within one culture. It is wrong to think of everyone in a culture having the same practices. Within a culture there are many sub-cultures, all with their own way rearing children. These may be ethnically or racially based but also may be class specific, e.g. in the UK the “middle class” have different child rearing techniques to the “working class”. The upper class traditionally have left child rearing to nannies. This questions the validity of the explanation of cross-cultural variations in attachment because there may be variations within cultures not just across cultures.

Discussion: Due to globalisation it is more likely that cultures are individualistic

Question 60

Weakness: Cultural variations in attachment

Answer 60

There is the issue of an imposed etic. This development of a test for one culture, then being used in unfamiliar cultures is imposed etic. The strange situation was designed by an Ainsworth (an American) based on a British theory (Bowlby’s). For example you are applying a western standard of human behvaiour to every baby. This means that comparisons between countries may have little meaning and it is difficult to generalise the findings from Western research to other Non-Western cultures.

Discussion: can be socially sensitive because it implies that the mother failed.

Question 61

definition of Maternal deprivation:

Answer 61

The emotional & intellectual consequences of separation between a child and one mother or mother substitute

Question 62

The 44 Juvenile Thieves study - AIM

Answer 62

To investigate the long-term effects of maternal deprivation

Question 62

Describe Intellectual development:

Answer 62

Deprived of maternal care for too long during the critical period would suffer from ‘mental retardation’

Question 63

Describe Emotional development:

Answer 63

During the critical period the child can become a ‘affection less psychopath’ this is the inability to experience guilt or strong emotions for others

Question 64

The 44 Juvenile Thieves study - PROCEDURE

Answer 64

• Selected an opportunity sample (88 children)

. Group 1 - 44 teenagers in the ‘theft group’ referred to him for stealing

. Group 2 - 4 teenagers referred to him because of emotional problems

• 2 groups matched with age, IQ

Both children and parents were interviewed and tested by a psychiatrist

Question 65

The 44 Juvenile Thieves study - FINDINGS

Answer 65

. Thief group - 14 children identified as affectionless psychopaths - 12 experienced prolonged separation in first 2 years of life (one 5 classified as afectionless psychopaths)

. Control group - out of the 44 only 2 experienced prolonged separation but none were afectionless psychopaths

Question 66

The 44 Juvenile Thieves study - CONCLUSION

Answer 66

Early separation and deprivation can lead to negative later consequences. It can modify one’s personality + intellect

Question 67

Weakness: Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 67

Bowlby’s study of 44 Juvenile Thieves may not be reliable. Lewis partially replicated the 44 Thieves study on a larger scale looking at 500 young people. In her sample a history of prolonged separation did not predict criminality or difficulty forming relationships. Because Bowlby was a psychiatrist who carried out all the interviews himself, he may have asked leading questions to help gather the evidence needed.

Question 67

Strength: Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 67

There is evidence to support Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation. Goldfarb followed up 30 orphaned children to the age of 12. Of the original sample half had been fostered by 4 months whilst the other remained in an orphanage. At 12 there IQ was assessed using standard IQ test. The fostered group had an average of 96 whereas the group that remained in the orphanage had an average of 68. This adds validity to Bowlby’s theory because it supports the idea of intellectual development as children are able to suffer from ‘mental retardation’ which is irreversible and long term

Question 68

Weakness: Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 68

The critical period may actually be more of a sensitive period. Bowlby believed that if prolonged separation occurred during the critical period of 0-2 years it caused damage. The Koluchova twins lost their mother shortly after birth and were cared for by a social agency (care system) for a year then were fostered by a maternal aunt. Their father remarried and the wife was cruel to the twins banished them to the cellar + beating them. The twins were dwarfed in stature (due to lack of sunlight), lacking speech suffering from rickets and the doctors examined them and predicted permanent physical and mental handicap. This questions the validity of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation because some severe deprivations had good outcomes provided the child and had some social interactions and good aftercare the consequences will be reversable through hard work.

Question 69

Weakness: Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 69

Bowlby fails to distinguish between deprivation and privation. Rutter claimed Bowlby has actually muddled two different concepts Rutter makes a distinction between Deprivation - the loss of the primary attachment figure AFTER an attachment has made + Privation - the failure to form an attachment in the first place. The developmental damage suggested by Bowlby is more likely to be caused by privation. This questions the internal validity of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation because to get the cause and effect he should have identified whether the children he studied were ‘deprived’ of emotional care in early childhood or whether they had not formed earlier attachments.

Question 70

A01: Romanian Orphans study - Effects of institutionalisation
(Rutter Et Al) AIM

Answer 70

• Followed a group of 165 Romanian children who were adopted in Britain to see if good care could compensate for poor early experiences in institutions

Question 71

A01: Romanian Orphans study - Effects of institutionalisation SAMPLE

Answer 71

1) Adopted before the age of 6 months
2) Adopted between 6 months and 2 years
3) Adopted after the age of 2

Question 72

A01: Romanian Orphans study - Effects of institutionalisation PROCEDURE

Answer 72

• The orphans where tested on physical, social and cognitive development a the ages of 4,6,11,15 and compared to British children and they were behind them in all 3 categories

Question 73

A01: Romanian Orphans study - Effects of institutionalisation RESULTS

Answer 73

• Romanian children after 6 months showed signs of an attachment style ‘Disinhibited attachment’ which is a pattern of attention-seeking clingy behaviors with a relative lack of selectivity in social relationships’

Question 74

Strength: Romanian orphan study - Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 74

Studying Romanian orphans as enhanced our understanding of the effects of institutionalisation and led to a real life application. Langton explains how research has led to improvements in the way children are cared for in institutions. Orphanages and care homes now avoid having large numbers of caregivers for each child and instead ensure that perhaps only one or tow people play a central role for the child (key worker) having a key worker helps to avoid disinhibited attachment. This research has an impact on the economy

Question 75

Weakness: Romanian orphan study - Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 75

Individual differences may have influenced the findings of this research. It is not true that all children who experience institutionalisation do not recover some children may be more strongly affected than others. Rutter suggested that some of the children could have received special attention in the institution this would mean that they ddi have some early attachment therefore the research into Romanian Orphans studies is unreliable.

Question 76

Weakness: Romanian orphan study - Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 76

Romanian Orphans were faced with much more than emotional deprivation. The physical conditions they stayed in were often appalling having a Huge impact on health. Also a lack of cognitive stimulation could have affected their development. for many poor care in infancy is followed by poor subsequent care like poverty. This questions the validity because the research deprives other factors that contribute towards development (physical side)

Question 77

Weakness: Romanian orphan study - Effects of institutionalisation

Answer 77

The long term effects of institutionalisation are not yet clear. It is too soon to say with certainty wether children suffered long or short term effects. It may be that children who spent longer in institutions could lag behind in intellectual development. Equally early adopted children who appear to have no issue may got onto experience emotional problems as adults. This questions the validity of the research because the research is new so we are unable to know what attachments would be like and how they would affect the future (permanence + longjeberty)

Question 78

The Influence of Early Attachment on Childhood and Adult Relationships: Hazan + Schaffer AIM

Answer 78

• They wanted to see if there was a correlation between the infant’s attachment type and their future approach to romantic relationships

Question 79

What was Hazan + Schaffer’s ‘love quiz’ 2 consisting components:

Answer 79

1) A measure of attachment types
2) A love experience questionnaire which assessed individual’s beliefs about romantic love

Question 80

Hazan + Schaffer Love quizz: METHOD

Answer 80

• Hazen + Schaffer analyses the first 620 replies sent from the people aged from 18-82 they classified the responses according to secure attachment + insecure-avoidant attachment + insecure-resistant attachment

Question 81

Hazen + Schaffer Love quiz CONCLUSION

Answer 81

• That there was evidence to support the concept of the inner working model having a long-life effect. However, not everyone stayed true to their infant attachment style and some did change as they grew older

Question 82

Behaviour influenced by the internal working model: CHILDHOOD FRIENDSHIPS

Answer 82

(They were trusting of the other kids making it easier to form friendships)

• individuals who were classed as securely attached were rated highest for: Social competence in later childhood + less isolation and popularity + empathy

Question 83

Behaviour influenced by the internal working model: POOR PARENTING

Answer 83

(What normal relationships between mother and daughter look like)

• 50 women raised in an institution and 50 raised at home. The women from an institution were experiencing difficulties as parents (This could be because the internal working model forms a ‘blueprint’ of your first/past relationships then this is how you expect your relationships to be)

Question 84

Behaviour influenced by the internal working model: MENTAL HEALTH

Answer 84

Children with attachment disorder have: No preferred attachment figure + An inability to interact with and relate to others that is evident before the age of 5 + They often experience serve neglect or frequent change of caregivers

• Correlation between insecure resistant attachment style and getting depression + post-natal depression
• Correlation between insecure avoidant is feeling and loneliness + social isolation

Question 85

Weakness: Influence of early attachment on future

Answer 85

Research into the internal working model is deterministic as it states that an individual’s behaviour is determined by factors out of their control E.g. an insecurely attached individual will have relationship difficulties later in life and this neglects the role of free will and choice that an individual has over their behaviour E.g. an insecurely attached individual may go on to have a secure romantic relationship in the future. Therefore, this questions the validity as it doesn’t consider other factors

Question 86

Weakness: Influence of early attachment on future

Answer 86

Research into the internal working model uses self report methods. Some ppts may suffer from social desirability and change their answers E.g. Hazen + Schaffer’s love quiz ppl may have changed their answers in order to be viewed in a better light by the researchers. This then limits the validity as the answers may be inaccurate

Question 87

Weakness: Influence of early attachment on future

Answer 87

There is research to contradict the internal working model by Zimmerman assessed infant attachment type and adolescent attachment to parents there was little relationship between the quality of infant and adolescent attachment therefore suggests we don’t need a blueprint for future relationships

Question 88

Weakness: Influence of early attachment on future

Answer 88

Research linking the internal working model with further relationships experiences is correlational although there may be an association found between 2 variables E.g. extroverted personality and secure attachment types, we cannot identify if the extroverted personality is a cause of the secure attachment type, or direct consequences of it therefore it is difficult to establish cause and effect