Topic 1: Introduction To Attachment

Question 1

Define ‘attachment’

Answer 1

a TWO WAY BOND between individuals required for emotional SECURITY

Question 2

Maccoby (1980)

Answer 2

THREE behaviours to RECOGNISE ATTACHMENT:

PROXIMITY- staying physically close to attachment figure
SEPARATION DISTRESS- becomes stressed when apart from attachment figure
SECURE BASE- makes regular contact with attachment figure

Question 3

Define ‘altricial’

Answer 3

born at an EARLY stage of development (e.g. human babies)

Question 4

Define ‘precocial’

Answer 4

born at an ADVANCED stage of development (e.g. foals can walk and run soon after birth)

Question 5

Define ‘reciprocity’

4 points

Answer 5

• a form of NON-VERBAL communication
• infants actions COORDINATE with the caregivers- one is ELICITED BY the other
• BRAZELTON (1975) interaction is ‘like a DANCE’
• actions are in RESPONSE to another- they are NOT the same

Question 6

Define ‘interactional synchrony’

Answer 6

• a form of NON-VERBAL communication
• infant MIRRORS specific gestures
• MELTZOFF and MOORE (1977) found an ASSOCIATION between the expression or gesture of the adult and the actions of the baby
• ISABELLA et al (1989) HIGH levels of synchrony= BETTER QUALITY of attachment

Question 7

Brazleton (1975)

Answer 7

• described mother-infant interaction as a ‘DANCE’

* a couple’s dance requires one to react to the others moves, they are not doing the same actions

Question 8

Meltzoff and Moore (1977)

Answer 8

• conducted first SYSTEMATIC study of INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY
• found infants as young as 2-3 WEEKS old IMITATED SPECIFIC hand or facial gestures
• used an ADULT MODEL who displayed one of THREE expressions or gestures
• DUMMY was placed in baby’s mouth during INITIAL display to PREVENT RESPONSE
• dummy was then removed and child’s expression was FILMED

Question 9

Isabella et al (1989)

Answer 9

•SECURELY attached mother-infant pairs had shown MORE instances of INTERACTIONAL SYNCHRONY in the FIRST year of life

Question 10

Evaluation of Caregiver-Infant Interaction

Against

Answer 10

• extermely difficult to be CERTAIN that infant’s gestures are DELIBERATE
• doesn’t explain PURPOSE of reciprocity or international synchrony
• lack of CULTURAL validity (Le Vine et al 1994)

Question 11

Evaluation of Caregiver-Infant Interactions

Supportive

Answer 11

•FILMING captures fine DETAILS that can be ANALYSED later and behaviour of baby isn’t affected as they DON’T KNOW they’re being filmed

Question 12

Schaffer & Emerson (1964)

Role of the Father

Answer 12

• form attachments to children by 18 MONTHS and WEEKS AFTER PRIMARY attachment- 75%
• PRIMARY attachment is much MORE LIKELY to be with MOTHER FIRST (7 months)

Question 13

Grossman (2002)

Role of the Father

Answer 13

• fathers have LOW QUALITY attachments
• fathers have a DIFFERENT attachment compared to mothers-
• FATHERS- PLAY and STIMULATION
• MOTHERS- NURTURE

Question 14

Field (1978)

Role of the Father

Answer 14

• FILMED 4-MONTH baby and PRIMARY and SECONDARY caregiver FACE-TOFACE- INTERACTION
• GENDER NOT RELEVANT, depends on DEGREE OF RESPONSE

Question 15

MacCallum and Golombok (2004)

Role of the Father

Answer 15

•children brought up WITHOUT father DON’T BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY