paper 1 - attachment

Question 1

define attachment according to schaffer

Answer 1

a close and emotional response between 2 persons characterised by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity

Question 2

explain maccoby’s (1980) theory into attachment

Answer 2

1) proximity seeking (especially when stressed)
2) separation distress
3) joy upon reunion
4) general orientation towards specific individual

Question 3

what is the importance for primary attachment

Answer 3

1) in infancy normally with child and mother
2) must be of good quality or issues later
neurologically (less brain capacity) physical ( under developed) cognitively and psychologically

Question 4

what is reciprocity

Answer 4

the process in which a behaviour is matched during an interaction eg. smiling back when someone smiles

Question 5

explain reciprocity and infant attachment

Answer 5

attachment develops by 2 way reciprocity when an emotional connection develops between an infant and his/her caregiver

• influences the child’s physical, neurological, cognitive and psychological development
• becomes basis for basic trust or mistrust, shapes how the child will relate to the world, and form relationship through life

Question 6

explain meltzoff and moore’s research into reciprocity

Answer 6

2/3 week old infant mimicked and copy adult responses (stick out tongue), also evident in 3 day old. (innate not learnt)
- also investigated in newborn rhesus monkeys

Question 7

what is interactional synchrony

Answer 7

how a parent’s speech and infant’s behaviour become finely synchronised so that they are in direct response to one another
- Feldman (2007) ‘temporal coordination of microleve social behaviour’
‘symbolic exchanges between parent and child’
must be in time!

Question 8

explain interactional synchrony in infant development of attachment

Answer 8

helps the infant learn to read other’s emotions and develop the skills of social interaction

• synchrony in the first few months will become more frequent and more elaborate
• a coordinate, rapid and smooth exchange of responses between a caregiver and an infant

Question 9

explain Condon and Ogston’s research into reciprocity

Answer 9

experiment using still face technique, adult keeps his or her face unmoving and expressionless in face to face interaction, Babies are distressed by still face and show signs of distress
- a parents responsiveness to an infant aids psychological and biological development, need social interaction to develop to their fullest and produce a secure attachment

Question 10

explain Russell and Belsky’s research into unsecure and secure attachment with infant and care giver

Answer 10

mother and baby (1,3,9 month old)
observed them reading a picture book
secure attachment:
- well timed interactional synchrony + reciprocity (mutual enjoyment and rewarding)
insecure:
- mothers seemed to be inconsistently unresponsive or minimally responsive,
-insecure resistant, poorly coordinated actions, misunderstanding of each others actions
-insecure avoidant = maternal intrusion, mother taking control
strong correlation between secure attachment and interactional synchrony

Question 11

explain schaffer and emersons study (1964)

Answer 11

longitudinal field study
- 60 infants with their families in working-class Glasgow in 1964
- range of 5-week olds up to 23 and all were studied until they were 1
aim; investigate first attachments of infants
triangulated methods
1) every month for 18 months they came in and observed for a whole day
2) mum kept a diary about everyday activity
3) interview with mum, asked about stranger anxiety, separation distress and joy upon reunion. asked for quantitative and qualitative responses
Findings;
65% mother primary attachment
30% mother and someone else
3% father only
also found play and social interaction matter most with forming attachments

Question 12

explain the stages of attachment found by shaffer and emerson

Answer 12

stage 1 (birth-6 weeks): Asocial, does not recognise specific people and views humans and objects in the same way
stage 2 (6 w -7 months); indiscriminate, tell people apart and enjoy social company, do not prefer anyone, no fear of strangers
stage 3 (7-9 months); discriminate attachment, a clear preference for attachment figure, fear of strangers and separation anxiety
4 (10 months onward); multiple attachments towards multiple people

Question 13

evaluate schaffer and emersons longitudinal study

Answer 13

1) are multiple attachments equal? monotropy vs multiple attachments
2) bias sample, only used working class, opportunity sample
3) role of father, 75% had attachment after 18 months
4) reliability, triangulation, PIS, qualitative vs quan, social desirability
5) cultural variation
6) temporal validity
7) stage theory is too unitary and inflexible to be applied to every child

Question 14

who supports the need for a father

Answer 14

LAMB;
1) engagement (play) 2) accessibility 3) responsibility
money + play
different to mum but important

Ainsworth
caregiver sensitivity hypothesis
as long as you are sensitive and responsive it will predict attachment type, both can play a massive role

Brown
found more secure at 3yr joining nursey if father present

Grossman and Grossman
44 german family longitudinal study, father influences schema

Question 15

who disagrees with the need for a father (monotropy)

Answer 15

Bowlby

the primary caregiver is the mother due to the evolution

Question 16

evaluate the role of the father

Answer 16

biology - hormones
maternal and paternal leave
sexist to suggest must be a mum
quality over quantity
people without dads are fine