Relational Influences

Question 1

What does the term Conflict mean?

Answer 1

A perception that two parties, individuals or groups believe that they have incompatible goals ideas or behaviours

Question 2

What does Mirror Image Perception refer to?

Answer 2

A distorted perception of the other that are remarkably alike, a belief that ‘they’ are bad and ‘we’ are good which leads to an escalation of hostilities

Question 3

What are the solutions to resolving conflict?

Answer 3

1. Imposed solutions - are dictated solutions (win/lose), a stronger party may impose a solution e.g. a parent settles an argument/dispute between siblings
2. Distributive solutions - neither party gets exactly what they want (a lose/lose solution), involves a compromise or mutual concessions e.g. seen in industrial disputes
3. Integrative solutions - both sides benefit from the decision (win/win), it involves understanding both parties motives, values and goals

Question 4

What are the three techniques to resolving conflict?

Answer 4

1. Counselling
2. Negotiation
3. Mediation

Question 5

What does the technique ‘counselling’ involve?

Answer 5

Counselling is often sought when conflict arises within families, one or both parties work with a counsellor to develop skills, to help them deal with conflict

Question 6

What does the technique ‘negotiation’ involve?

Answer 6

Negotiation involves parties who have some shared and some opposing interests coming together, talking to reach an agreement, successful negotiation will lead to an integrative solution (win/win) e.g. countries trying to each a trade agreement

Question 7

What does the technique ‘mediation’ involve?

Answer 7

Bringing in a third party to settle conflict, helps parties focus on issues and reach solution voluntarily, leading to distributive or integrative decision

Question 8

What is Socialisation?

Answer 8

The process by which we learn to become members of society, both by internalising the norms and values of society and also by learning to perform our social roles (as worker, friend, citizen etc)

Question 9

What is Attachment?

Answer 9

Attachment is the formation of a close emotional bond with a parent or caregiver

Question 10

What was the aim of Harry Harlow’s (1959) experiment?

Answer 10

• Aim was to find out whether provision of food or contact is more important in the formation of infant - mother attachment
• Involved a study in which 8 rhesus monkeys were separated at birth and reared in cages
• One was covered in terry towelling cloth and other was left uncovered with a feeding bottle was attached to one of the surrogates in the same area of the breast in the real mother
• Results showed that monkeys spent more time with the clothed, comforting surrogate mother rather than with the wire surrogate mother with the feeding bottle
• Concluded ‘contact comfort was more important than feeding in the formation of infant rhesus monkeys attachment to its mother

Question 11

What was the aim of John Bowlby’s (1953) experiment?

Answer 11

• Aim was to investigate the long-term effects of maternal deprivation on people in order to see whether delinquents have suffered deprivation
• 88 children were selected from the clinic where Bowlby worked, 44 were referred to him because of stealing and the other 44 were controls and only showed emotional issues (they were yet to commit a crime)
• IQ was tested by a psychologist and details of the child’s early life (e.g. periods of separation) were recorded and Bowlby then conducted an initial interview with the child and accompanying parent
• More than half of the juvenile thieves had been separated from their mothers for longer than six months during their first five years
• This separation in a child’s early life caused permanent emotional damage, he diagnosed this as a condition and called it Affection less Psychopathy
• People are unable to care deeply for others, do not form meaningful interpersonal relationships and is characterised by lack of concern for others, lack of guilt and an inability to form meaningful and lasting relationships

Question 12

What was the aim of Mary Ainsworth (1970) strange situation study?

Answer 12

Conducted a study on attachment of children known as the “Strange Situation” in order to determine the nature of attachment behaviours and styles of attachment.

Question 13

What three attachment styles did Mary Ainsworth discover?

Answer 13

1. Insecure avoiding/ Anxious avoidant (Type A)
2. Secure Attachment (Type B)
3. Insecure Resistant / Anxious resistant (Type C)

Question 14

What were Diana Baurmind’s parenting styles?

Answer 14

1. Permissive
2. Authoritarian
3. Authoritative

Question 15

What is Type A attachment?

Answer 15

Insecure Avoiding/Anxious Avoidant (Type A)

• Children do not seek contact with attachment figure when distressed
• Child is very independent of attachment figure physically and emotionally
• Attachment figure likely to be insensitive and rejecting of needs

Question 16

What is Type B attachment?

Answer 16

Secure Attachment (Type B)

• Infants are easily soothed by attachment figure when upset and distressed
• Infants develop a secure attachment when the caregiver is sensitive to signals and responds appropriately to their needs
• Children feel confident attachment figure will be able to meet there needs, they use attachment figure as a safe base to explore environment and seek them when distressed

Question 17

What is Type C attachment?

Answer 17

Insecure Resistant / Anxious Resistant (Type C)

• Infants will commonly exhibit clingy and dependent behaviour but will be rejecting if attachment figure when they engage in interaction
• Child fails to develop any feelings of security towards the attachment figure
• When distressed are difficult to soothe and are not comforted by attachment figure

Question 18

What did Mary Ainsworth’s study involve?

Answer 18

• A sample included 100 middle class American infants aged between 12 and 18 months
• An infant was placed in a small room with toys and two way glass, where their behaviour in numerous situations were observed including the mother and infant alone, mother infant with a stranger, stranger alone with infant, infant alone
• Ainsworth concluded 3 parent - child attachment styles

Question 19

What was the Permissive parenting style?

Answer 19

• Not Strict at all
• Lenient
• Warm and indulgent
• Have very few demands to make of their children
• Few or no rules
• Attempts to behave in acceptant and affirmative manner towards the child’s impulses, desires and actions
• Allows the child to regulate there own activities as much as possible and avoids exercise of control

Question 20

What was the Authoritarian parenting style?

Answer 20

• Very Strict
• Enforces strict rules and regulations for the child to follow
• Parent attempts to shape, control, and evaluate the behaviour and attitudes of the child in accordance with a set standard of conduct
• Have high demands and are generally unresponsive
• Believes in keeping the child in their place, restricting there autonomy and assigning household responsibilities in

Question 21

What was the Authoritative parenting style?

Answer 21

• Just right balance
• Parent is warm and responsive and supportive
• Value independence
• Attempts to direct the child’s activities but in a rational, issue orientated manner
• Exerts firm control at points of parent - child divergence, but does not usually hem the child with restrictions
• Responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions
• Affirms and monitors the child’s present qualities but also sets a standard for future conduct