Topic 3: Attachment Flashcards
Define interactional synchrony in caregiver-infant interactions. (2)
Two people interaction between caregiver and infant, where their behaviours or emotions mirror each other.
Define reciprocity in terms of care-giver infant interactions. (2)
When the infant and caregiver respond to the action of another with similar actions. The actions of one partner elicit a response from the other partner.
Outline reciprocity, interactional synchrony and research for infant-caregiver interactions. State the evaluation points. (16)
AO1
-One of the key interactions between caregivers and infants is their non-verbal communication (reciprocity and interactional synchrony)
-Such interactions may form the basis of infant-caregiver attachment.
-Reciprocity is when the infant and caregiver respond to the action of another with similar actions.
-Interactional synchrony is the infant-caregiver interaction, where their behaviours, or emotions, mirror one another
-Meltzoff & Moor found infants as young as 2-3 weeks old intentionally imitated specific facial and hand gestures from an adult model.
-These interactions are key for future communication, as it helps caregivers anticipate and respond to infant behaviour.
AO3
Against
-Research argued true imitation develops near the end of the first year. Before that, infants engage in “response training”
-Problems with testing infant behaviour
-Failure to replicate makes research questionable. However, could be due to difference in methodology.
For
-Study showed synchrony in infants as young as three days
-Meltzoff and Moore supported through a study where 2-month-old tried attracting their mother’s attention but quickly became distressed when mother was not responding
-Intentionality supported, infants made little response with an object simulating mouth movement and other, tongue movement.
Briefly explain monotropy. (2)
The idea that the infant needs to form one primary attachment before multiple attachments, so the infant can have a healthy development.
Outline and state evaluation points on the role of the father in the development of attachment. (16)
Primary attachment figure
-Little link between accessibility and father-infant attachment
-Biological factors, oestrogen
- Social factors, Cultural expectations and stereotypes
- Sensitivity, men can be just as sensitive as women. Although external factors may affect this.
- Shared role, fathers can be primary attachment figure but biological and social factors may discourage this
Secondary attachment
-Research shows fathers are more playful, active, and better at providing challenges for children.
-Research portrayed fathers as exciting playmates, whilst mothers more conventional.
-Fathers play an important role as the secondary attachment figure as they can fill in the gaps of infant development that mothers may be unable to fill, and produce greater development in infants compared to fatherless ones.
Outline and state evaluation points for the stages of attachment identified by Schaffer & Emerson. (16)
AO1
-Schaffer & Emerson studied 60 Glasgow infants over 18 months to determine when attachments form.
-Found first attachments at 6-8 months, with stranger anxiety following a month later.
-Infants attached to those who provided the most sensitive care, not necessarily the most time.
-Came up with 4 stages of attachment:
1. Indiscriminate attachment (0-2 months) no preference to people or objects
2. beginnings of attachment (4-6) begin to prefer people
3. discriminate attachment (6-7) has a primary attachment figure, separation and stranger anxiety form
4. multiple attachment (7+) further attachments in others close to them
AO3
Against
-Unreliable data, insensitive mothers could underreport
-Biased sample, study used a working-class sample from the 1960s
-Challenging monotropy, Bowlby (for) believed infants have a primary attachment before having multiple secondary attachments. However, other research argued that all attachment figures are equal
-Stages of attachment are fixed and inflexible
For
-Gives caregivers a rough guide about how infant attachments work.
-Gives caregivers more insight and deeper understanding of infant behaviour
-High population validity
Outline two animal studies of attachment. (12)
CASE STUDY 1
-Procedure: Lorenz (1935) divided several gosling eggs into two groups. One group left with natural mother and other left in incubator. When incubated eggs hatched, they followed the first living, moving thing they saw (Lorenz). Tested effect of imprinting by placing the distinguished groups together.
-Findings: Goslings quickly divided themselves and followed only their imprinted. Imprinting had a critical period. Not all animals imprint on humans e.g. curlews.
-AO1: imprinting is irreversible, long lasting, and has an effect on mate preferences.
CASE STUDY 2
-Procedure: Harlow (1959) studied 8 infant monkeys for 165 days. Created two wire mothers with different heads. One mother was covered in cloth but had no milk bottle, and the other mother had a milk bottle but no cloth. Measured time spent on each mother and observed monkeys’ response when frightened.
-Findings: All monkeys spent most time with cloth mother regardless of milk bottle placement. Clung to cloth mother for comfort. Suggests infants develop attachment to person offering contact comfort, not feeder.
-AO1: Motherless monkeys developed social and sexual abnormalities. Effects had critical periods.
Outline what animal studies have shown about attachment. (4)
Lorenz (1935) and Harlow (1959) found that the consequences of their animal studies were irreversible, long lasting, dependant on the critical period, and produced social and sexual abnormalities. This suggests that early human attachments could potentially have an effect on sexual preference and the ability to interact with other humans. The effects of human attachment could also be long-lasting, almost permanent. Additionally, the critical period indicates that there might be a similar phase of development that is crucial for infant development and if this is missed, there may be significant issues later on.
Outline and evaluate animal studies on attachment. (16)
AO1
-Procedure: Lorenz (1935) tested for the effect of imprinting in goslings
-Findings: Imprinting is irreversible, long lasting, has a critical period and an effect on mate preferences.
-Procedure: Harlow (1959) tested 8 infant monkeys for 165 days. He measured the amount of time each infant monkey spent with their wire mothers, and observed their responses when frightened.
-Findings: Motherless monkeys didn’t know how to interact with other monkeys and experienced abnormal mating behaviour. These effects had critical periods.
AO3
For
-Benefits of animal studies
-Research supporting imprinting: Leghorn chicks were exposed to a yellow rubber glove when they first hatched, and imprinted on it. Chickens later tried mating the glove.
Against
-Conclusions are useful but need
extrapolating
-Criticisms of imprinting: Research found that imprinting of leghorn chicks could be reversed. After spending time with their natural species, their sexual behaviour was normal again
-Harlow’s study is unethical
-Confounding variable: wire mother had different heads so not all variables were controlled
Explain ‘monotropy’ (2)
The idea that infants form one special attachment before multiple attachments, which is central to their emotional development.
Outline Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment. (6)
- Monotropy
-Bowlby’s theory suggests that infants form one special attachment before multiple attachments, which is central to their emotional development. - Critical Period
-Bowlby argued there is a critical period (3-6 months) during which this attachment must form, otherwise such attachments will be harder to form later on. - Social releasers
-Babies are born with innate behaviors, like crying and smiling, known as social releasers, that elicits caregiving and lead to attachment. - Internal Working Model
-This attachment forms the basis for an internal working model, which is a mental representation of our relationship with our primary caregiver and becomes a template for future relationships. - Continuity hypothesis
-This is linked with the continuity hypothesis which is the idea that early relationships with caregivers influences future relationships.
What is imprinting? (2)
An innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother, occurring within a specific period; if missed, it may not develop.
