ATTACHMENT

Question 1

Define Reciprocity

Answer 1

A description of how two people interact. Mother-infant interaction is reciprocal in that both infant and mother respond to each other’s signals and each elicits a response from the other

Question 2

Define Interactional Synchrony

Answer 2

Mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordinate (synchronised) way

Question 3

Define Stages of attachment

Answer 3

Many developmental theories identify a sequence of qualitatively different behaviours linked to specific ages. In stages of attachment, some characteristics of the infant’s behaviour towards others change as the infant gets older

Question 4

Define Multiple attachments

Answer 4

Attachments to two or more people.

More babies appear to develop multiple attachments once they have formed one true attachment to a main carer

Question 5

Define Animal Studies

Answer 5

In Psychology, studies are carried out on non-human animal species rather than on humans, either for ethical or practical reasons - practical because animals breed faster and researchers are interested in seeing results across more than one generation of animals

Question 6

Define Learning Theory

Answer 6

A set of theories from the behaviourist approach to psychology, that emphasises the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour.

Explanations for learning of behaviour include classical and operant conditoning.

Question 7

Define Monotropic

Answer 7

A term sometimes used to describe Bowlby’s theory.

The mono means “one” and indicates that one particular attachment is different from all others and of central importance to the child’s development

Question 8

Define Internal Working models

Answer 8

The mental representations we all carry with us of our attachment to our primary caregiver,

They are important in affecting our future relationships because they carry our perception of what relationships are like

Question 9

Define Critical period

Answer 9

This refers to the time within which an attachment must form if it is to form at all.

Lorenz and Harlow notes that attachment in birds and monkeys had critical periods.

Bowlby extended the ideas to humans, proposing that human infants have a sensitive period after which it will be more difficult to form an attachment

Question 10

Define strange situation

Answer 10

A controlled observation designed to test attachment security

Infants are assessed on their response to playing in an unfamiliar room, being left alone, left with a stranger and being reunited with the caregiver

Question 11

Define secure attachment

Answer 11

Generally thought of as the most desirable attachment type, associated with psychologically healthy outcomes.

In the strange situation, this is shown by moderate stranger and separation anxiety and ease of comfort at reunion

Question 12

Define Insecure - avoidant attachment

Answer 12

An attachment type characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment.

In the strange situation, this is when by low stranger and separation anxiety and little response o reunion - an avoidance of the caregiver

Question 13

Define Insecure - resistant attachment

Answer 13

An attachment type characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety.

In the strange situation, this is when by high levels of stranger and separation anxiety and by resistance to be comforted at reunion

Question 14

Define Cultural variations

Answer 14

“Culture” refers to the norms and values that exist within any group of people.

Cultural variations then are the differences in norms and values that exist between people in different groups.

In attachment research, we are concerned with the differences in the proportion of children of different attachment types

Question 15

Define maternal deprivation

Answer 15

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother or mother substitute.

Bowlby proposed that continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development, and that prolonged separation from this adult cause serious damage to emotional and intellectual development

Question 16

Define Institutioalisation

Answer 16

A term for the effects of living in an institutional setting. The term “institution” refers to a place like a hospital or an orphanage, where children live for long, continuous periods of time. In such places, there is often very little emotional care provided.

In attachment research, we are interested in the effects of institutional care on children’s attachment and subsequent development

Question 17

Define Orphan studies

Answer 17

These concern children placed in care because their parents cannot look after them. An orphan is a child whose parents have either died or have abandoned them permanently

Question 18

Define childhood relationships

Answer 18

Affiliations with other people in childhood, including friends and classmates, and with adults such as teachers

Question 19

Define Adult relationships

Answer 19

Those relationships the child goes on to have late in life as an adult. These include friendships and working relationships but most critically relationships with romantic partners and the person’s own children