attachment- caregiver-infant interaction, role of the father, schaffer's stages Flashcards
What is the definition of attachment?
A close two way emotional bond between individuals in which each sees the other as essential for their own emotional security
what is reciprocity?
the way two people interact. Mother-infant interaction is reciprocial as both parties respond to one another (elicit a signal and a response)
what is interactional synchrony?
mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordinated (synchronised) way
M…… (1980)
who researched into separation anxiety?
MACCOBY (1980)
- when attached, ppl try to stay in close proximity -> suffer from separation anxiety (kicks in within 6 to 7 months) or distress when attachment figure leaves
- object permenance needs to be achieved before separation anxiety kicks in
- if babies DO NOT see the person, they are attached to = they DO NOT exist
how long does it take for reciprocity to kick in?
3 months
M&M
who investigated interactional synchrony?
Meltzoff & Moore (1977)
describe the method used by … to investigate interactional synchrony?
- observed babies around 2 weeks old
- an adult would display one of three facial expressions and one of three distinctive gestures
- the child’s response was filmed and identified by observers
what was the result of … interactional synchrony?
an association was found between the expression or gesture the adult had displayed and the actions of the babies
think I J
name a piece of evaluation which supports interactional synchrony
Isabella et al (1989)
- observed 30 mothers and infants together and assessed the degree of synchrony
-> also looked at the quality of mother-infant attachment
HIGH levels of synchrony were associated with better quality infant-mother attachment (emotional intensity)
S&E (1964)
who looked into the idea of secondary attachment?
SCHAFFER & EMERSON
-found that majority of babies were attacjed to their mothers first (around 7 months)
- within a few weeks or months, they formed secondary attachments to other family members
- 75% of infants would have formed an attachment to the father by the age of 18 months -> determined when the father walked away
who aimed to investigate the formation of early attachments?
what type of study did they use? pros and cons?
SCHAFFER & EMERSON (1964)
-longitudinal study
+ observe changing patterns (+)
- can become subjective and less ppl are likely to be committed (-)
describe the method used by Schaffer& Emerson in their study of early attachment
- observed 60 Glasgowegian babies (31F and 29M) for 18 months from skilled working class famillies
- the babies and their mothers were visited at home every month for the first year then again at 18 months
- researchers asked mothers questions about the kind of protest babies showed in 7 everyday separations -> which is noted down in a diary
- this assessed separation and stranger anxiety
what were the findings from the Glasgow babies study?
- between 25-32 weeks about 50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards their caregiver
- attachment formed when the caregiver was most interactive and sensitive to the infant’s signals and facials (RECIPROCITY)
what is stage 1 of attachment?
asocial stage
- recognises and forming bonds with its carers
what is stage 2 of attachment?
- indiscriminate attachment
- within 2 to 7 months babies display more observable social behaviour
