Attachment Flashcards
What is reciprocity?
How two people interact + is reciprocal
infant and mother illicit a response to each other’s signal and each take turns in doing so
What is an attachment?
A two-way emotional bond between two individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security.
Where does attachment begin?
It begins with caregiver infant interactions
What are caregiver-infant interactions? Why are they important?
- caregiver’s responsiveness to the infants signal
- profound effects on the attachment they form
- important to the child’s social development
What did Brazelton et al (1975) liken caregiver-infant interactions to?
A dance because it’s just like a couple’s dance where each partner responds to each others dance moves
Outline Condon and Sander’s(1974) research on caregiver-infant interactions?
Aim- they studied reciprocity in infants
Procedure- analysed frame-to-frame recordings of infant’s movement whilst an adult was talking.
Findings- infants coordinate their actions in sequences with the adult’s speech to form turn taking conversation.
What is interactional synchrony?
Mother and infant reflect the actions and emotions of the other in a synchronised way. They mirror each others actions simultaneously
Outline Meltzoff and Moore’s study on interactional synchrony
Aim- observed interactional synchrony in 2 week infants
Procedure- adult displayed one of three facial expressions or distinctive gesture. The child’s response was filmed and identified by an independent investigator.
Findings- association between expression displayed by adult and actions of the baby
Outline a limitation of caregiver-infant interactions- What’s the purpose?
Observations don’t tell us the purpose of reciprocity or interactional synchrony. Feldman(2012) argues they simply describe the behaviours that occur but don’t tell us the purpose. Psychologists want to know why behaviour occurs to explain rather than describe.
This isn’t possible which limits the impact of research
Outline a limitation of caregiver-infant interactions- socially sensitive
Research into caregiver-infant interaction is sensitive.
-If the mother returns to work reduces opportunity for interactional synchrony.
-Child disadvantages by childrearing practices making woman feel guilty about their choice.
IMPACT: researcher must think if research should be carried out and effects of findings
Outline a combo whopper of caregiver-infant interaction- good reliability/deliberate action
High reliability in research. Observations are well controlled and interactions are recorded. This means videos can be watched by others and tested for test-retest reliability or inter-obsever reliability.
However, it’s hard to know when observing infants. Impossible to know whether imitation or turn taking was deliberate or conscious.
What is the father?
Anyone who takes on the role of the main male caregiver. This can be the biological father but doesn’t necessarily have to be.
What did Shaffer and Emerson find in relation to role of the father?
Most babies attached to their mothers first at 7 months and only 3% attached to their father first.
In 27% of babies the mother and father were the joint object of attachment.
When was an attachment formed with father according to Shaffer and Emerson?
In 75% of infants their attachment to their father was formed by 18 months.
How did Shaffer and Emerson determine whether a infant had formed an attachment with the father?
By babies protesting when their father walked away. suggests fathers= important attachment figures.
What is the distinctive role of the father?
Discovering whether fathers hold a specific value in the child’s development and if that role is different to mothers
What was the purpose of Grossman’s research into role of the father?
explore the parent’s behaviour and relationship to the quality of children’s attachment in their teens.
What were the findings of Grossman’s research?
The quality of infant attachment with mothers was related to attachments in adolescents suggesting the attachment to the father is less important.
The quality of the father’s play with infant was related to quality of adolescence attachment suggesting the fathers role is of play and stimulation.
What is the role of the mother in attachment?
Emotional development
what is the role of the father in attachment?
Play and stimulation
Outline the procedure of Field’s research into fathers as primary carers
He filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interaction with primary caregiver mothers, secondary caregiver fathers and primary caregiver fathers
What was Field’s findings in his research of fathers as primary carers?
Primary caregiver fathers were like primary caregiver mothers as they spent more time smiling,imitating, and holding infants that secondary caregiver fathers.
What were Field’s conclusions in his research on fathers as primary cares?
fathers have the potential to be the more emotional-focused primary attachment figure if required
key to attachment is the level of responsiveness and not gender of the parent