Task 8 Flashcards
Love?
Assumption of attachment theory
- inborn inclination
- behaviors leading to the formation of an attachment relationship
Four Phases of Development of attachment
(1) indiscriminately orienting and signaling to people
- until 8-12 weeks: preference for familiar caregiver, anybody can satisfy needs
(2) adapts to a limited number of caregiver
- preference for regular caregivers (limited)
(3) infant shows active attachment behavior
- 6-8 months
- organized in goal-directed fashion (goals: ‘proximity’ or ‘felt security’)
(4) phase of goal-corrected partnership
- develop working model
- about 3 years
The Strange Situation procedure
- infants confronted with three stressful components
(1) strange environment
(2) interaction with stranger
(3) two short separations from caregiver
Main attachment categories
- secure
- actively seek proximity to caregivers upon reunion
- communicate feelings of stress and distress openly
Main attachment categories
- insecure-avoidant
- does not seem distressed in Strange Situation; very detached from mother
- ignore and avoid caregiver following reunion
- inconsistent parenting
Main attachment categories
- insecure-ambivalent
- combine strong proximity-seeking and contact-maintaining with contact resistance
- remain inconsolable
Determinants of individual differences
- sensitivity
- relation between sensitivity and attachment remarkably strong and of great significance
- enhanced parental sensitivity —> more secure children
Determinants of individual differences
- AAI —> four types of attachment representations
(1) insecure-dismissing
- very positive
- unable to remember much
(2) autonomous/secure
- experience both negative and positive
- experiences described coherently
- coherent and balanced pictures (no idealization and other contradictions)
(3) insecure-preoccupied
- still overwhelmed by past attachment experiences
- feel mistreated by parents
- not able to tell coherent story
(4) unresolved
- experiences of loss or other potential trauma in disoriented way
- still struggling with loss or trauma
Determinants of individual differences
- correspondence parental attachment and infant attachment
- strongly associated
- transmission of genes may be involved
- parental sensitivity associated with parents’ attachment representations
Attachment Theory - Bowlby
- secure base = primary caregiver
- proposal: attachment process between infant and caregiver rooted in evolution and increases infant’s chance of survival
- innate basis, but development and quality of attachments highly dependent on nature of experiences with caregivers
difference sensitivity and responsiveness
- sensitivity = noticing what child wants
- responsiveness = knowing what to do with children’s needs; doing the right thing in response
Parenting Behavior
- correlation mothers and different attachment styles
- mothers of secure children: higher in warmth, involvement, supervision, and affirmations
- mothers of insecure-resistant: similar, but only during lab tasks; high degrees of sensitivity toward infants
- mothers of insecure-avoidant: more withdrawn and provided less supervision and overall planning
Parenting Behavior
- three dimensions
(1) warm and responsive involvement
(2) encouragement towards psychological autonomy and individuation through noncoercive discipline; also being emotional
(3) demand for age-appropriate behavior, limit-setting, and monitoring
Parenting Behavior
- two dimensions underlying internal working models
(1) worthiness of the “self” to be loved and supported
(2) emotional availability and responsiveness of the “other”
Parenting Styles
- authoritative
- high on all three dimensions
- secure children; best style
- child willing to comply
- parents listen to child and recognize its needs and abilities
- child: healthy psychosocial, academic and behavioral adjustment
