Attachment Flashcards
Why are early interactions important for babies
-Play an important role in child’s social development
-Good quality social interactions associated with successful attachment
What is Reciprocity
-Turn taking responses when baby is alert
-Occurs from 3 months onwards
What is Interactional Synchrony
Same actions occurs simultaneously
Outline research related to Interactional Synchrony
-Meltzoff and Moore (1972) found these occur 2 weeks onwards
-Isabella et al (1989) associated these with the quality of attachment
Evaluate the research into caregiver-infant interactions
-Very difficult observing babies as we can only infer their thoughts and emotions through limited actions meaning these interactions may not have special meaning
-Highly controlled lab experiments that are filmed allowing for inter rater reliability, babies also not at risk of demand characteristics
-Observations of behaviour does not tell the importance of behaviour
What are Schaffers stages of attachment
-Asocial stage: first few weeks, no response between humans and objects
-Indiscriminate attachment: 2 to 7 months preference for familiar people but no stranger anxiety
-Specific attachments: stranger and seperation anxiety in regard to one particular adult= primary attachment figure (65% were mother)
-Multiple attachments: Secondary attachments begin to form 7 months onwards
What is research supporting Schaffers stages of attachment
-Schaffer and Emerson (1964) Glasgow babies study
-Studied mothers of 60 working class Glasgow babies reporting monthly on stranger and separation anxiety
-Found babies behaviour progressed in line with the stage theory
Evaluate Schaffers stages of attachment
-Good external validity as mothers did the observing so babies not stressed by being observed COUNTERPOINT: mothers may have not accurately noted behaviour due to demand characteristics
-Real world application in not starting daycare at stage 3 as it may be damaging
-Lacks generisibility to other cultures and lacks temporal validity
-Poor evidence for asocial stage: babies have poor coordination so may just seem asocial
Outline research on attachment to fathers
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found 75% attached to the father by 18 months, 3% sole attachment
Outline research on the role of fathers
Fathers have a role of play and stimulation (Grossman)
Outline research on fathers as primary attachment figures
Fathers who were primary caregivers more responsive than secondary caregiver fathers (field)
Evaluate the research into the role of the father
-Competing research questions prevent a simple answer about the fathers role
-Real world application in that families can be advised about fathers role in attachment
-Preconceptions may lead to observer bias, may affect some studies e.g Schaffer and Emerson
Describe Lorenz’s research
-Gooslings born in incubator saw lorenz when first hatched, control group saw mother
-Newly hatched chicks imprinted onto lorenz, control mother
-Also showed signs of sexual imprinting
Evaluate Lorenz’s research
-Research support: Chicks imprinted onto moving shapes
-Lacks generiasibility to humans as humans are far more complex then birds
Describe Harlow’s research
-Baby monkeys given a cloth “mother” and a wire mother with a feeding bottle
-Monkeys clung to the cloth mother
-Monkeys grew up socially dysfunctional
-Critical period addressed to be 90 days or attachment wouldn’t form
Evaluate Harlow’s research
-Has real world value in helping professionals to promote bonding
-Lacks generisability to humans as humans and monkeys are not the same
What is the role of classical conditioning in attachment
-Caregiver (Neutral Stimulus) becomes associated with food (Unconditioned stimulus)
-Caregiver becomes conditioned Stimulus
What is the role of operant conditioning in attachment
Crying behaviour becomes reinforced positively for babies and negatively for caregiver
What is the role of attachment in learning theory
Attachment becomes a secondary drive through association with hunger
Evaluate learning theory as an explanation of attachment
-Lorenz and Harlow showed that feeding is not the key to attachment through animal studies
-Primary attachment figure not always the person who does the feeding (Schaffer and Emerson Glasgow babies)
-Conditioning may influence the choices of a primary attachment figure
What is monotropy
One particular attachment is different in quality and importance to others
What are social releasers
Social releasers ie innate cute behaviour elicit care
How long is the critical period
6 Months to 2 years
What is the Internal Working model
Mental representations of the world formed by the primary attachment figure, a template for future relationships
