week 8 Flashcards
what is attachment in childhood
bond relationship between child and caregiver
what does attachment lay the foundation for
future relationships
who is the main figure in attachment theory
Bowlby
what did Bowlby state
intimate attachments to other human beings are the hub around which a persons life revolves
what are humans biologically hardwired for
relationships
attachment theory derives from, and gives meaning to:
how infant behaviours are organised (that is, in the service of gaining proximity to attachment figures to feel more secure)
what does genetics lay
the basic landscape of the brian
the neural networks that develop in the brain are dependent on
experiences in early life
why do we want positive experiences frequently in early life
so the neural pathways are well implemented for the future
what years are the most important for attachment
the first 5 years
what did bowlby believe
that children are born with a biologically programmed tendency to seek and remain close to attachment figures
why do children seek out to stay close to attachment figures
provides nurturance and comfort, but also aids in the childs survival
what does sticking close to a caregiver ensure
that the childs needs are met and that he/she is protected from dangers in the environment
how do babies garner the attention of their caregiver
babies are born with a number of behaviours such as crying and cooing, and caregivers are biologically programmed to respond to these signals and attend to the childs needs
what is the central theme to Bowlbys attachment theory
that caregivers who are available and responsive to their infant’s needs establish a sense of security. the baby knows that the caregiver Is dependable, which creates a secure base for the child to then explore the world
what are the 3 systems at work in the child parent attachment system
care seeking (attachment)
caregiving (bonding)
exploration
what is care seeking (attachment)
the instinct to seek proximity to a specific person who will comfort, protect, and/or organise ones feelings.
what is the function of care seeking (attachment)
comfort and protection
what is the caregiving (bonding)
the instinct to monitor a specific person and to comfort, protect, and/or organise their feelings when necessary
what is exploration
the instinct to follow ones innate curiosity and desire for mastery when it feels safe to do so. Q
what is the function of explorative behaviour
learning and mastery
what are some outcomes linked with securely attached children
enjoy more happiness with their parents
less anger with parents
stronger friendships
able to problem solve with friends
higher self-esteem
trust the people they love
know how to be kind to those around them
what is the circle of security
parenting intervention model based on attachment theory and research (circle of needs)
what does the circle of security offer parents
a simple road map showing that the need for relationships is hardwired and sometimes children’s emotions and needs can be hidden in plain sight
shows parents a path to secure attachment with child
what is a cue
a clear and direct communication of the genuine need
eg. I am feeling sad so I come over to you with my arms out
what is a miscue
A misdirection away from the genuine need, making it seem like the child is giving a cue for a different need
who can cue
securely attached children, those with a straight line path to getting their needs met, can cue their parents about what they need
what happens to insecure attached children/ children with indirect pathways to their needs
they cannot cue their parents directly about their need because the particular need makes their parent uncomfortable and the child just wants to maintain connection with parent. So instead of providing a cue to their need, they provide a miscue
who miscues
all children miscue from time to time, even adults
when is miscues concerning
when the miscue is consistently accepted by the parent that it develops into a way of interacting that leads to the childs needs remaining unfulfilled
what are the 3 types of attachment relationships
secure
insecure
-anxious-avoidant
-anxious resistant/ambivalent
disorganised
what is the insecure anxious resistant/ambivalent relationship
parent is uncomfortable with exploration
what is the insecure anxious-avoidant relationship
parent is uncomfortable providing comfort which leads to child miscuing to avoid being uncomfortable themself and therefore pretend they don’t need comfort
how do we assess attachment quality
the strange situation protocol
When you hook up toddlers HR to be monitored what is the heart rate like for insecure avoidant children
when mum leaves the room they appear unphased and as if they don’t need to be comforted but their heart rate is even higher than distressed secure children when their mum leaves the room
what does avoidant toddlers hr suggest
that they are even more distressed than secure children they just don’t want to seek out comfort and make their mum uncomfortable eg. mastered miscue
what is the characteristics of the circle of disorganisation
the child doesnt really get any needs met at all.
what is disorganised attachment
child doesnt know the type of response they will get from their caregiver (lack of consistency)
eg. one day the caregiver is fine with exploration the next they get yelled at
when there is abuse and neglect in a household what type of attachment is seen
disorganised attachment
what attachment has the most negative outcomes
disorganised attachment
