Paper 1 - attachment struggles

Question 1

Name 2 strengths of caregiver interaction + explain

Answer 1

-uses well controlled procedures
-it’s potential value to society

Question 2

Name 2 limitations and expand on points - Care giver and infant interactions

Answer 2

-difficulty inferring development importance
-hard to know what is happening when observing infants

Question 3

Name 2 strengths of Schaffer stages of attachment

Answer 3

-external validity
-longitudinally

Question 4

Name 2 limitation of Schaffer stages of attachment
trigger word: Bowlby 1969

Answer 4

-problem with how multiple attachment is assessed
-problem in studying the asocial year

Question 5

Name 2 strengths of animal studies

Answer 5

-support for the concept of imprinting
-important practical applications

Question 6

Name 2 limitations of animal studies

Answer 6

-generalising findings and conclusions from birds to humans
-harlow faced severe criticism for the ethics of his research

Question 7

Name 1 strength of learning theory

Answer 7

-some elements of conditioning could still be involved

Question 8

Name 3 limitations of learning theory

Answer 8

-animal studies provide evidence against food as the basis of attachment
-human research shows that feeding is not an important factor
-ignores other factors linked with attachment

Question 9

Name 2 strengths of Bowlbys monotropic theory

Answer 9

-clear evidence to support the existence and value of social releasers
-support for the idea of an internal working model

Question 10

what is internal working model and name an example Bowlbys monotropic theory

Answer 10

child forms a mental representation of the relationship with their primary attachment figure. This serves as a template for what relationships are like

Question 11

Name 2 limitations of bowlbys monotropic theory

Answer 11

-evidence for monotropy is mixed
-socially sensitive because of implications for mothers lifestyle

Question 12

Name 2 strengths of ains worth

Answer 12

-predictive validity
-very good inter rater reliability

Question 13

Name 2 limitations of ainsworth strange sit

Answer 13

-culture bound test
-temperament may be a confounding variable

Question 14

Name the procedure of van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenburg (4)

Answer 14

-looked at proportions of attachment types across a range of countries / variation within and outside a country
-found 32 studies of attachment where the strange situation had been used. -These were conducted in 8 countries, 15 in the USA overall the studies yielded results for 1,990
-the data were meta-analysed, results being combined and weighted for sample size

Question 15

Findings and conclusions of ban Ijzendoorn and Kroonberg

Answer 15

-there are cultural differences in the distribution of insecure attachment
- variation between results of studies within the same country was actually 150% greater than those between countries

Question 16

Simonelli et al Procedure

Answer 16

-researchers assessed 76 12 month olds using SS to see whether the proportion of attachment types still matched previous studies
-mother’s were reasonably varied in education levels and their professions

Question 17

Findings and conclusions Simonnelle et al

Answer 17

-50% B 36% A (lower rate then previous)
- due to increasing numbers of mothers working long hours and using professional childcare
-cultural changes can make dramatic difference in the patterns of attachment

Question 18

Name 1 strengths of cultural variation in attachment

Question 19

Name 3 limitations of cultural variation in attachment

Answer 19

-temperament may be a confounding variable in the SS
-not representative of cultures
-biased towards American/ British cultures

Question 20

what is a critical period BMT

Answer 20

2 years when the infant attachment system is active (viewed more as sensitive period)
if not formed they will struggle to form one later

Question 21

more time spent with mother is beneficial bc of .. BMT

Answer 21

• law of continuity
  -law of accumulated separation

Question 22

classical conditioning of attachment

Answer 22

UCS(food) +UCR (pleasure)
NS(caregiver) -> no response
UCS(food) +NS(caregiver)->UCR (pleasure)
CS(caregiver) -> CR (pleasure)

Question 23

what does operant conditioning explain in the learning theory

Answer 23

why babies cry for comfort (an important building block for attachment

Question 24

Stages of attachment procedure - Glasgow babies

Answer 24

-60 babies from glasgow most from working class families.
visited every month for a year and 18 months
-separation anxiety measure by asking mothers about their children’s behaviour during everyday separations
-stranger anxiety was measured by asking mothers questions about their children’s anxiety response to unfamiliar adults

Question 25

Stages of attachment conclusions

Answer 25

• 50% showed separation anxiety towards a particular adult between 25-32 weeks of age. This primary attachment was usually with mother
  -attachment tended to be the caregiver who was the most interactive and sensitive to infant signals and facial expressions ( not always most spent with)

Question 26

What did Field find out

Answer 26

Fathers can be primary caregivers
- filmed 4- month old babies and found that primary care giver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants than secondary

Question 27

Schaffer and emerson - primary attachment usually with mothers sometimes both

Question 28

Procedure of Bowlbys 1944 44 thieves study (3)

Answer 28

-sample in the study was 44 delinquent teenagers accused of stealing
-families were also interviewed to establish any prolonged separation from mothers
-all ‘thieves’ were interviewed for signs of affection-less psychopathy characterised by a lack of affection, guilt and empathy

Question 29

Findings and conclusions of Bowlbys 1944 thieves study (4)

Answer 29

-14 of the 44 thieves could be described as affection less psychopaths.
-12 experience prolonged separation from their mothers (first 2 years of their life)
-5 of the 30 ‘thieves’ had experienced separations.
-suggests prolonged early separation/ deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy

Question 30

Bowlbys TMD : What 2 developments is lowered when maternal deprivation occurs and why

Answer 30

-intellectual development ( mental retardation and abnormal low IQ if deprived during critical period. Goldfarb found lower IQs in children from institutions compared to foster children)
-emotional development ( deprivation linked to affectionless psychopathy)

Question 31

Bowlbys TMD : what is critical period

Answer 31

if a child is separated from their mother (without substitute emotional care) for an extended time during the first 30 months, psychological damage is inevitable

Question 32

Bowlbys TMD: name difference between separation and deprivation

Answer 32

separation: child not being physically in the presence of the primary attachment figure
deprivation: losing emotional care as a result of separation
separation does not always equal deprivation

Question 33

Bowlbys TMD: thoughts on the mother

Answer 33

-continued emotional care from the mother is essential
-separation from mother may lead to maternal deprivation

Question 34

Bowlbys TMD: Name 3 limitations

Answer 34

-sources of evidence for maternal deprivation are flawed (Goldfarb)
-counter-evidence which does not support Bowlbys findings (Lewis 1954) replication
-later research suggests that the critical period is more of a sensitive period (Koluchovas

Question 35

Bowlbys TMD Name a strength and an issue Levy et al ratatouille

Answer 35

animal studies have demonstrated maternal deprivation

Question 36

name 2 effects of institutionalisation

Answer 36

-disinhibited attachment : link to adaption to multiple caregivers
-damage to intellectual development: institutionalised children often show signs of mental retardation (unless adopted b4 6 months )

Question 37

Procedure of Rutter et al 2011 english and romanian adoptees studies

Answer 37

-group 165 romanian orphans who experienced very poor conditions before being adopted in Britain
-longitudinal study tested the extent to which good care can make up for poor early experiences in institutions. PIES has been assessed at 4,6,11 and 15 years old
-control group 52 adopted British children

Question 38

findings Rutter et al: institutionalisation IQ

Answer 38

-half of orphans showed mental retardation when they came to the UK at age 11
recovery rates = age of adoption
-adopted b4 6 months : mean IQ of 102
-adopted between 6 months and 2 years had a mean IQ of 86
- those adopted after two years had a mean IQ of 77

Question 39

conclusions Rutter et al orphan studies

Answer 39

-frequency of disinhibited attachment related to the age of adoption
-after 6 months clinginess attention seeking and indiscriminate affection to strangers
-before 6m rare in children
support the view that there is a sensitive period in the development of attachments

Question 40

Procedure of Zeanah et al 2005 BEIP

Answer 40

used the SS to assess attachment in 95 children aged 12-31 months who spent most of their lives in institutional care
compared to a control group of 50 children who had never experienced institutional care

Question 41

Findings and conclusions of Zeanah et al 2005 Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Answer 41

-only 19% of the institutionalised group were securely attached
-65% classified with disorganised attachment

Question 42

2 Strengths of Zeanah et al 2005 Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Answer 42

-important practical applications (improvements in the way children are cared for in institutions)
-fewer confounding variables than other research ( possible to study institutionalisation without confounding variables bc most were abandoned at birth

Question 43

2 limitations of Roman orphan studies

Answer 43

• issues with generalisability
  -not randomly assigned to conditions (Rutter et al) and BEI study

Question 44

Influence of early attachment on later relationships; hazan and Shaver 1987 procedure

Answer 44

the research analysed 620 replies to a ‘love quiz’ printed in an american newspaper
the quiz assessed three different aspects of relationships:
-respondents’ current and most important relationship
-general love experiences
-attachment types

Question 45

Influence of early attachment on later relationships; hazan and Shaver 1987 findings and conclusions

Answer 45

56% of respondents were identified as securely attached, with 25% insecure-avoidant and 19% insecure-resistant
their attachment type was reflected in thier romantic relationship
-secure respondents were the most likely to have good and longer lasting relationships
-avoidant respondents tended to be jealous and fear intimacy

Question 46

name all stages of attachment and briefly describe

Answer 46

S1- asocial - few weeks (baby’s behaviour towards people and inanimate objects is quite similar
S2 indiscriminate attachment 2-7 months (babies now display more observable social behaviour, with preference for people rather than inanimate objects -no stranger or separation anxiety)
S3 specific 7m ( stranger and separation anxiety with primary attachment figure (65% cases mother)
S4 multiple 1yr( 2ndary attachment with other adults form after )

Question 47

describe the role of the father as primary attachment

Answer 47

schaffer and emerson 1964 found out that the majority of babies became attached to their mothers 7m

3% father
27% both

Question 48

when do children usually form attachment with fathers

Answer 48

75% secondary by 18 months ( indicated by signs of attachment )

Question 49

evidence on fathers as primary attachment figures

Answer 49

field 1978 filmed 4 month babies and found that primary caregivers fathers, like mothers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding babies than secondary caregiver fathers

these behaviours are related to interactional synchrony and the formation of an emotional attachment

Question 50

why is level of response important in the role of the father

Answer 50

smiling, imitating and holding. babies ( interactional synchrony are behaviours important in building a primary attachment with babies

the key to the attachment relationship is the level of responsiveness not gender

Question 51

2 limitations of the role of the father research

Answer 51

-confusion over research question
-bias in this research

Question 52

a strength in role of the father research

Answer 52

using findings in parenting advice

Question 53

what did grossmann do into the role of the father

Answer 53

Grossmann et al. (2002) carried out a longitudinal., looking at parents’ behaviour and its relationship to the quality of children’s attachments into their teens.
This research found that quality of attachment with to father was less important for adolescent attachment than the quality of attachment with the mother.
Therefore fathers may be less important in long-tem emotional development.

Question 54

influence of early attaching later relationships: name 2 studies which link with friendships and bullying

Answer 54

Securely attached babies tend to go on to form the be quality childhood friendships (Kerns 1994).
Securely attached children are less likely to be involved in bullying whereas insecure-avoidant children are most likely to be victims and insecure-resistant are most likely to be bullies (Myron-Wilson and Smith 1998).

Question 55

name 2 studies link with parenting style (b) and romantic relationships

Answer 55

People base their parenting style on their internal working model. Bailey et al. (2007) found the majority of mothers had the same attachment classification to their babies as they had to their own mothers.
Hazan and Shaver (below) found a link between attachment type and quality of adult romantic relationships.

Question 56

describe the procedure of SS

Answer 56

The procedure has seven ‘episodes’, each lasting three minutes.
1. Baby is encouraged to explore by caregiver.
2. Stranger enters and talks to caregiver, approaches baby.
3. Caregiver leaves.
4. Caregiver returns, stranger leaves.
5. Caregiver leaves baby alone.
6. Stranger returns.
7. Caregiver returns.

Question 57

describe a secure attached child type B

Answer 57

Ainsworth and Bell found distinct patterns in the way babies bet.
They identified three main types of attachment.
Secure attachment (Type B: 60-75% of British toddlers):
• Baby happy to explore but seeks proximity to caregiver (secure base).
• Shows moderate separation anxiety and stranger anxiety.
• Requires and accepts comfort from caregiver on reunion.

Question 58

describe insecure-avoidant type A

Answer 58

Insecure-avoidant attachment (Type A: 20-25% of British tobiler
• Baby explores freely but does not seek proximity (no secure bag
• Shows little/no separation and stranger anxiety.
• Avoids contact at the reunion stage.

Question 59

insecure-resistant attachment: Type C

Answer 59

Insecure-resistant attachment (Type C: 3% of British toddlers.
. Baby explores less and seeks greater proximity.
. Shows considerable stranger and separation anxiety.
• Resists comfort when reunited with caregiver.