lesson 11- the influence of early attachments on childhood relationships Flashcards
influence of early attachment on childhood relationships study
-Sroufe et al 2005
-Minnesota parent-child project, began in 1975 and mother-child pairs continue to be studied
-since 1975 mothers and childrens behaviour has been assessed using questionnaires and observations eg mothers and children video taped while playing for a period of 10-15 minutes at home (intra observer reliability), mothers were aware they were being videotaped (possible social desirability bias), two observers analysed recordings (inter observer reliability)
sroufe et al findings
-children classed as securely attached as infants were rated highest for social competence
less socially isolated
more popular with peers
more empathetic
-infants early attachment creates internal working model of what relationships are, how partners in a relationship behave towards each other and whatt hey should expect
-securely attached have positive internal working model for relationships, so better at forming and maintaining relationships with others
sroufe et al long term effects
-if infants do not have an early attachment during critical period this would result in lack of internal working model
-leads to attachment disorder where children have no preferred attachment figure and inability to interact and relate to others, becomes evident from age of 5 usually caused by severe neglect or frequent change of caregivers
sroufe et al evaluation
-Simpson et al 2007 found similar results, assessed infant attachment styles at one year of age, several studies found children who were securely attached as infants were rated as having higher social competence as children and were closer to their friends aged 16, reliable
-claims early experiences have a fixed effect on later childhood relationships and therefore children insecurely attached as infants are doomed to experience emotionally unsatisfactory relationships, deterministic
-lots of studies to contradict claims, Tizard and Hodges 1989 found children raised in care who had never formed any attachments by the age of 4 and were then adopted could still form attachments to their new adopted parents
