Types of attachment

Question 1

What is a secure attachment

Answer 1

Where there is a strong positive relationship between infant and caregiver

Question 2

What is an insecure attachment

Answer 2

Where there is a weak emotional relationship between child and caregiver

Question 3

Why are some children insecurely attached

Answer 3

• differences in maternal sensitivity
• temperament
• chuldren that are maltreated

Question 4

Wartner et al (1994)

Answer 4

• Observed that securely attached children showed more competance in their play
• Children are able to comfidentialy expolore their environment whilst using their PCG as a base
• 82% of children at the age of 18 months and 6 years remained in the same category of attachment

Question 5

Belsky and Fearon (2002)

Answer 5

Securely attached children had greater social confidence, school readiness, expressive language and receptive language

Question 6

What are the 3 types of attachment identified by Ainsworth

Answer 6

Secure, insecure anxious avoidant, insecure anxious resistant

Question 7

Signs of a secure attachment

Answer 7

• distress on separation
• pleasure on reunion
• seeks comfort
• reacts differently with PCG and stranger

Question 8

Signs of insecure anxious resistant

Answer 8

• infant is insecure in the presence of mother/PCG
• distress on separation
• infant resists contact from PCG on return and is wary of stranger

Question 9

Signs of insecure anxious avoidant

Answer 9

• infant does not seek contact from PCG
• shows little distress on separation
• avoids contact with PCG on reunion
• infant treats PCG and stranger the same

Question 10

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation aim

Answer 10

Investigate individual variation in infant attachments. How children react under conditions of stress and to a new situation

Question 11

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation method

Answer 11

• in a controlled observation, 12-18 month old infants were in a room with their mother
• 8 different scenarious occurred, including being approached by a stranger, the infant being left alone, and the mother returning
• the infant’s reactions were observed

Question 12

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation results

Answer 12

• 15% were insecure avoidant (type A)- they ignore the mother and didn’t mind if she left. A stranger could comfort them
• 70% were securely attached (type B)- they were content with mother, upset when she left, happy when she returned. Avoided strangers
• 15% were insecure resistant (type C)- unea with their mother, upset when she left, reisisted strangers, hard to comfort when mother returned

Question 13

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation conclusion

Answer 13

Infants showing different reactions to their carers have different types of attachment

Question 14

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation evaluation-strengths

Answer 14

• controlled observation-reliable results
• 100 infants-good sample size
• supports Maccoby’s key attachment behaviours

Question 15

Ainsworth et al (1978) strange situation evaluation-weaknesses

Answer 15

• lab study-artificial-reduces ecological validity
• parents may have hanged behaviour as they knew they were being observed-could have had effect on children’s behaviour
• mother may have not been the child’s main attachment figure
• child put under stress-ethical issue
• Main and Soloman (1986)- suggested a 4th attachment type
• demand characteristics
• ethnocentric-American so culturally biased and reflects one’s norms and values