ATTACHMENT Flashcards

Question

Schaffer and Emerson strengths

Answer 1

large sample size = 60 babies standardised interviews, can replicate to check consistency and reliability good applicability - know what may cause distress or understand what is healthy / normal

Answer 2

lacks ecological validity and generalisability - from Glasgow, working class families - e.g. others may have a nanny or have different family dynamics - only in individualistic community interpreting behaviour is subjective babies not all approached at same age interviews influenced by social desirability, sensitive topic, reduced validity

Answer 3

0-6 weeks many kinds of stimuli produce a favourable reaction in infant towards end of this stage, infant learns to separate people from objects but doesn't have any strong preference about who cares for them

Answer 4

within first 6 months infant starts to clearly distinguish and recognise different people, smiling more at people they know compared to strangers still not strong preference as to who cares for them

Answer 5

7-9 months infant will form true, emotionally strong attachments with specific people content when a specific person is around, distressed when they leave and happy when they return may show stranger anxiety

Answer 6

10 months + infant can form attachments to many people secondary attachments e.g. siblings, grandparents some may be stronger than others and have different functions e.g. play or comfort doesn't seem to be a limit to the number of attachments infant can form

Answer 7

children with multiple attachments are at an advantage as they can form and conduct social relationships more easily - have experience, if lose an attachment figure, have others to turn to Harlow's research into rhesus monkeys supports idea that quality of care is more important than caregiver's presence

Answer 8

culturally biased - Sagi found that infants raised in individualistic cultures were twice as close to their mothers in comparison to those raised by collectivist cultures - Schaffer and Emerson's study was only carried out in Glasgow so is difficult to universally apply difficulty measuring multiple attachments - baby may be distressed when individual leaves the room, does not mean they are 'true' attachment figure - Bowlby pointed out that children have playmates as well as attachment figures and may get distressed when playmates leave - contradicts Schaffer and Emerson's stages of attachment because observations does not distinguish between secondary attachment figures and playmates during first week, babies have poor coordination and are immobile - difficult to make judgements based on first observations - e.g. how can we really know if they favour a smile just as much as an inanimate object based on little behavioural cues - evidence hard to rely on

Answer 9

infants tend to show attachment behaviours towards multiple, secondary attachment figures by one year old tend to be people who spend regular time with the infant

Answer 10

stranger anxiety separation anxiety proximity seeking behaviours imitation and interactional synchrony

Answer 11

less likely than mothers to be baby's first attachment figure --> Schaffer and Emerson found that most babies become attached to their mother at around 7 months --> in 27% of cases the father was joint-first attachment figure --> 3% of cases the father was the first sole attachment figure also found that 75% of babies formed an attachment with their father by 18 months, suggesting that most fathers become important attachment figures

Answer 12

fathers have a different unique role to mothers that is still important for development --> more to do with play and stimulation than emotional development generally more playful, physically active and better at providing challenging situations for children --> excite children and encourage risk-taking --> create secure environment to learn bravery complements mother's role of being attuned to emotional needs

Answer 13

Grossmann carried out a longitudinal study where babies' attachments were studied until they were teenagers --> no link between father's early attachment type and quality of attachment in adolescence but link was found with mothers --> quality of attachment not linked to healthy attachment in adolescence --> link between quality of play and quality of attachment supports idea that father's role is different

Answer 14

baby's first/primary attachment has special emotional significance as it forms the basis of all later close emotional relationships --> some evidence that when fathers take on the role of the primary attachment figure, they are able to adapt into traditional maternal role

Answer 15

supporting evidence that fathers can be primary attachment figures and the gender of the parent is unimportant - Field found that primary caregiver fathers spend more time smiling, imitating and holding their babies than secondary caregiver fathers - supports idea that fathers have the potential to be more emotion-focused primary attachment figure and can take on a traditional maternal role, providing the responsiveness required for a close emotional attachment supporting evidence for father's role in play and stimulation being important for healthy development - Grossmann found that adolescent attachment to the father is related to the father's play with infants

Answer 16

inconsistency in research about distinctiveness of role of father - Grossmann argued that role is play and stimulation - Maccallum and Golombok found that children in single-mother and lesbian-parent families do not develop differently - questions whether fathers have a distinctive role remains unanswered and many suggest that anyone can take the role of play and stimulation preconceptions about the role of the father may lead to observer bias in research - reduces validity of findings research may not be generalisable - individual differences --> assume that all fathers are happy, playful and risk-takers whereas personality can affect e.g. depression means not in a positive, active mood

Answer 17

* Refers to effects of growing up in an orphanage or children’s home. * Living arrangements outside of family home may lead to loss of personal identity. * May suffer from lack of emotional care and have difficulty forming attachments. --> More children so less attention from carers --> Likely to be cared for by multiple carers, so one primary attachment is not able to form.

Answer 18

Romania 1990s  Was a requirement of women to have 5 children to improve economic growth.  Abortion and contraception for women under 40 with fewer than 4 children was forbidden in 1966.  After the decree, birth rates rose significantly from 1967 to 1969 to catastrophic numbers.  Coupled with Romania’s poverty, many unwanted children were turned over to state orphanages.

Answer 19

* Examines development of children adopted into the UK from Romania in the early 1990s. * Examine the extent to which children could recover when extreme deprivation in early life is followed by a middle childhood within a safe family environment.

Answer 20

* Longitudinal natural experiment * Random sample of 165 Romanian children placed in orphanages at 1-2 weeks with little adult contact. Most lived in institutions with conditions from poor to abysmal. * Physical, cognitive and emotional development assessed at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15. * A group of 52 British children adopted around the same time served as a control group. Mean IQ aged 11 Romanian Orphans adopted before six months 102 Romanian Orphans adopted between six months and two years 86 Romanian Orphans adopted after two years 77 differences remained at age 16

Answer 21

* When they first arrived in the UK, half of the adoptees showed signs of delayed intellectual development / delayed cognitive functioning and were underweight. * The control group did not show these deficits. * Over time, the Romanian orphans showed improvements in physical and cognitive development, but rates of improvement varied dramatically according to the age in which the children had been adopted (differential rates of recovery).

Answer 22

Attachment issues Romanian Orphans adopted before six months Disinhibited attachment was rare. Romanian Orphans adopted after 6 months Showed disinhibited attachment  attention seeking, clinginess and social behaviour indiscriminately towards familiar and unfamiliar adults. Unusual to not show stranger anxiety. * Disinhibited attachment persisted in many adoptees at age 6 and in over 50% at age 11.

Answer 23

* In institutions display disinhibited attachment as are cared for by many different caregivers and not enough by one to form an attachment. * This can be overcome with sensitive subsequent care. * Children in institutional care may have difficulty interacting with peers and forming close relationships due to a lack of an internal working model. * May also have difficulty with affection and understanding the meaning of social contexts and may display obsessional behaviour (quasi autism).

Answer 24

* Children who experience extreme institutional deprivation will usually make a huge improvement in cognitive functioning following successful adoption, suggesting that effects can be overcome with sensitive and nurturing care. * Damage could be recovered if attachment took place before 6 months. * Sooner the children were adopted, the faster their intellectual development.

Answer 25

* Attachment assessed in 95 children aged 12-31 months who had spent most of their lives in institutional care, 90% on average. * Compared to control group of 50 children who had never lived in an institution. * Attachment type measured using the strange situation. * Carers asked to comment on social behaviours of children. * Control group – 74% securely attached. Less than 20% disinhibited attachment. * Institution group – 19% securely attached. 44% disinhibited attachment. * Institutionalised children showed signs of disinhibited attachment where child seeks comfort and attachment from anyone without distinction – no preference for parents over strangers. Often clingy and attention seeking. * Suggests that institutionalisation leads to disinhibited attachment – do not spend enough time with one particular caregiver for an attachment to form, but spend time with lots of caregivers.

Answer 26

 Enhanced understanding of negative effects of institutionalisation where children are unable to develop normal attachments.  Disinhibited attachment comes from not spending enough time with a particular carer for an attachment to form.  Leads to improvements e.g. avoid having lots of caregivers for each child and ensure that one or two key workers play a central role for a child. Allows a normal attachment to form.

Answer 27

 Romanian orphanages had terrible conditions and poor standards of care with low levels of intellectual stimulation.  Romanian orphans were cared for in an unusual setting that differed greatly from more ‘typical’ orphanages.  Unusual situational variables lack generalisability and results cannot be applied to orphans in alternative environments

Answer 28

 Significant validity issues  In the ERA study, children were not randomly assigned into groups  They were allocated determined by at which age they were adopted (before 6 months, between 6 months and 2 years, and after 2 years)  May have been some bias on who was adopted – those adopted first may have been more social and showed less disinhibited attachment. Results examining how attachment developed is not representative and valid.  However, in Bucharest Early Intervention study, Romanian orphans were randomly allocated to institutional care or fostering. Researchers directly manipulated who were adopted.  Reduces the impact of confounding variables, as more sociable children were more likely to be selected.  Increases validity  Actions of researchers influencing child staying in an institution makes them more likely to suffer negative effects e.g. lagging in intellectual development and attachment difficulties.  Ethical issues:  Research outcomes prioritised over children’s wellbeing.  Lasting effects for those adopted later in life  Long term psychological harm

Answer 29

 Long term effects of institutionalisation are not yet clear  Studies such as Rutter have followed up orphans into their mid-teens and found some evidence of lasting effects of early experience, particularly those adopted late.  It is too soon to say with certainty whether children will experience long term effects.  May result in behaviour and attachment difficulties to children when the orphans become parents themselves.  However, Sigal et al investigated middle-aged adults who had been placed in an institution at birth or early childhood. They were more likely to never have married than a randomly selected group of adults (45% vs 17%), reported fewer social contacts, more psychological distress, including depression and higher rates of physical illness, including migraines and stomach ulcers.  Suggests that there are long-term effects on social behaviours, general wellbeing and mental and physiological illnesses.

Answer 30

Includes affiliations with other people in childhood, including friends, classmates and adults such as teachers.

Answer 31

* According to attachment theory, children with secure attachment types should be more confident in interactions with friends. * Youngblade and Belsky found that 3-5 year old securely attached children were more curious, empathetic, resilient and self-confident, got along better with other children and were more likely to form close relationships. * Hartup argues that children with a secure attachment type are more popular at nursery and engage more in social interactions with other children.  Insecurely attached children tend to be more reliant on teachers for interaction and emotional support. * Attachment type can be associated with quality of peer relationships in childhood.

Answer 32

* Myron-Wilson and Smith studied 196 children from London aged 7-11. They assessed attachment type and bullying using a questionnaire.

Answer 33

* Continuity hypothesis suggests that there is consistency between early emotional experiences and later relationships, and children’s attachment types are reflected in later relationships. * If a child has a secure attachment to a sensitive caregiver and a positive IWM, they are likely to see themselves as worthy of being loved. This provides the child with an adequate template for later attachments, so form secure relationships. * If a child has an insecure attachment with a caregiver, they have an inadequate IWM and are likely to form future insecure relationships.

Answer 34

* Continuity between early attachment styles and quality of later adult romantic relationships. This is based upon the idea of the IWM where infant’s primary attachment forms a model for future relationships. * Influences person’s expectation of later relationships, affecting attitudes towards them.

Answer 35

 Able to create meaningful, empathetic, and healthy attachments in the future.  Have happy, trusting and long-lasting relationships.  Openness regarding expressing emotions.  Comfortable depending on others and having others depend on them.

Answer 36

 Struggle to connect with others who attempt to connect or form a bond.  Distant and unlikely to open up, keep partner at arm’s length.  May enjoy company of others but actively work to avoid closeness due to feeling that they don’t or shouldn’t need others.  Less inclined to share feelings, affection not reciprocated.  Lack of commitment in relationships.

Answer 37

 Crave intimacy but anxious whether partner will meet emotional needs.  Feel anxious about independence and crave security (needy and clingy).  Extreme sexual attraction to partner but highly jealous and requires constant reassurance.  Potentially controlling – lack of consistency from parent in infancy so can’t trust love provided and feel threatened.

Answer 38

* Questionnaire used to collect information from a volunteer sample of 620 people aged 14-82 in the USA. Was advertised as a ‘Love Quiz’ in the local newspaper. * Looked at each person’s infant attachment type, assessed using a checklist. * Looked at each person’s attitude towards loving relationships, assessed using multiple-choice questions. * Readers asked to send off their completed ‘Love Quiz’. 1200 replies received and 620 were analysed. * They found that those who were securely attached as infants tended to have long-lasting relationships, where they found others as trustworthy and had confidence in themselves as likeable. * Insecurely attached people found adult relationships more difficult, tended to divorce, and suffered from jealously and fear of intimacy.

Answer 39

* Research indicates an intergenerational continuity between adults’ attachment types and their children’s.  Children adopted the parenting styles of their own parents.  People tend to base their parenting style on internal working model so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations of a family. * Primary attachment in childhood acts as a blueprint for later relationships and affects success as a parent.

Answer 40

 Useful practical applications e.g. in prevention or reduction of bullying  Insecure resistant (type C) children most likely to be bullies.  Insecure avoidant (type A) children most likely to be bullied.  Could focus on importance of parental relationships from early age to encourage secure attachments to prevent bullying.  Identify those at risk to discourage bullying e.g. identify insecure avoidant and support them in making friends to make them less vulnerable.

Answer 41

 Useful practical applications e.g. supporting young adults with later attachments.  Insecure attachments are more likely to struggle with adult relationships due to a poor IWM.  This would allow for support to be put in place for individuals who did not form secure attachments in childhood in terms of showing them what healthy, trusting relationships should look like.

Answer 42

*Most research evidence comes from self-report data. * Techniques have been used to retrospectively assess the quality of childhood relationships and assess the quality of adult relationships. --> Social desirability may affect how honest people may be regarding something sensitive like childhood relationships or romantic relationships. --> Childhood memories may not be easy to recall --> Validity is low *Furthermore, participants are being asked to report on relationships using their conscious understanding of them --> Data may be invalid as they may not have conscious awareness

Answer 43

 Difficult to establish cause and effect relationships between early attachment types and the quality of later attachments.  Could be other important contributing factors that impact attitude towards loving relationships, such as childhood trauma, previous break-ups and mental health issues.  Research may only indicate a relationship between the two rather than causality.

Answer 44

 Explanation can be considered deterministic.  Suggests that there is no free will or conscious control over behaviour by suggesting that early relationships determine later ones.  This is problematic as it suggests that individuals have no control over poor relationship, which is not empowering and excuses bad behaviour like lack of commitment.

Answer 45

 The IWM is a hypothetical concept  Cannot measure, clearly define or observe it or its effects  Limits the credibility of the explanation as it is not empirical and is therefore unscientific.

Answer 46

 They found that insecure-avoidant children were more likely to be victims of bullying  More likely to have difficulty fitting in with peers and spend more time alone, and so are more inclined to have experienced bullying.  Aren’t bothered about forming relationships so they may have no friends and become vulnerable to be picked on

Answer 47

Insecure-resistant were more likely to be bullies  Insecure and jealous due to trust issues from inconsistent attachment with parents  Tend to be controlling and exert power over others * Research demonstrated that children with parental insecure attachments were more likely to be involved in bullying than children with secure attachments.

Answer 48

 Securely attached children are not involved – more likely to form healthy relationships, rational and don’t feel the need to hurt others.  Developed positive template for relationships (internal working model)

Answer 49

continuity hypothesis child w/ secure attachment to sensitive caregiver, positive IWM --> adequate template for future relationships, feel loved child w/ insecure attachment --> inadequate IWM, likely form future insecure relationships

Answer 50

consistency between early emotional experiences and later relationships children's attachment types are reflected in later relationships

Answer 51

create meaningful, empathetic and healthy attachments happy, trusting, long-lasting openness regarding emotions comfortable depending on others and others on them

Answer 52

struggle to connect distant and do not open up avoid closeness - feel shouldn't need others affection not reciprocated lack of commitment

Answer 53

crave intimacy but anxious whether partner will meet emotional needs crave security (needy and clingy) sexual attraction but jealous and require assurance potentially controlling - lack of consistency, can't trust love

Answer 54

Hazan and Shaver looked at each person's attitude to loving relationships using multiple choice questions 1200 replies received, 620 analysed those securely attached as infants had long-lasting relationships, found others as trustworthy and had confidence in themselves as likeable insecurely attached people found adult relationships more difficult, tended to divorce and suffered from jealousy and fear of intimacy

Answer 55

intergenerational continuity between adults' and children's attachment style - children adopted style of their parents - base parenting style on IWM so passed through family primary attachment acts as a blueprint for later relationships and affect success as parent

Answer 56

prevention or reduction of bullying - insecure resistant (C) most likely to be bullies - insecure avoidant (A) most likely to be bullied focus on importance of parental relationships from an early age to encourage secure attachments to prevent bullying identify those at risk e.g. identify insecure avoidant and support them in making friends to make them less vulnerable

Answer 57

supporting young adults with later attachments - insecure more likely to struggle due to poor IWM support put in place for those without childhood secure attachments and show them what healthy and trusting relationships look like

Answer 58

most research evidence from self-report data - retrospectively assess quality of childhood relationships and assess quality of adult relationships - social desirability affect honesty (sensitive topic) - childhood memories not easy to recall --> may lack conscious awareness low validity

Answer 59

difficult to establish causality between early and later relationships - other contributing factors that impact attitudes towards loving relationships e.g. childhood trauma, previous break-ups and mental health issues only relationship established

Answer 60

suggests no free will or conscious control over behaviour as suggesting that early relationships determine later ones no control over poor relationships, not empowering, excuses bad behaviour like lack of commitment

Answer 61

cannot measure, clearly define or observe limits credibility of explanation - not empirical, so unscientific

Answer 62

* Used to look at formation of early bonds between non-human parents and their offspring. * Would be unethical to interfere with human attachment for research purposes  Could disrupt bond between primary caregiver and child and future relationships. * Attachment behaviour is common to a range of species, and we can extrapolate findings from animal research to humans. * More practical to use animals in research and data produced is less affected by social desirability. Most recent common ancestors e.g. chimps would display most similar behaviour, and so are likely to most closely resemble human attachments. Animal studies of attachment can provide insight into the biological and evolutionary basis of attachment, and how it may have developed in humans. However, it is important to remember that animal studies cannot fully capture the complexity of human attachment, as humans have unique cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural factors that shape their attachment behaviour.

Answer 63

* Humans tend to only have one child at a time, so more attention spent on each child, so deeper relationships tend to form. * Most parents raise children together, whereas many animals form a bond purely for procreation and the mother raises the children alone.  Not applicable to humans as babies will form attachments to multiple people  Live in communities with lots of attachments formed to father, grandparents, friends etc.

Answer 64

* Less need for protection from mother in humans as not at threat from predators  Allows human children to be more independent and are more self-sufficient as do not depend on closeness for survival

Answer 65

* Studied concept of imprinting – innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother, which takes place during a specific time in development (first few hours after birth) * There is a critical period – if attachment not formed during this time, it will not happen. Effects are irreversible and long-lasting. * Likely to occur to aid survival of offspring due to risks of predators.

Answer 66

* To investigate the mechanism of innate imprinting on newly hatched goslings.

Answer 67

* Randomly divided a clutch of goose eggs. * Half were hatched in an incubator and the first thing they saw was Lorenz. * The other half were hatched in a natural environment and the first thing they saw was the mother goose. * Lorenz observed the groups to investigate who they followed and behaviour recorded. * Varied the time between birth and seeing a moving object so he could measure the critical period for imprinting.

Answer 68

* Released all goslings from an upturned box and each gosling went straight to its mother figure. * The naturally hatched goslings went straight to the mother goose. * The incubator group showed no recognition of the mother goose. They had formed an imprint of the object they were to follow. * Later investigations found that imprinting in many species of birds occurred between 12 and 17 hours after hatching, leading to the notion that there are critical periods in development of behaviour. * Hess showed that although imprinting process could occur as early as one hour after hatching, the strongest response occurred between 12 and 17 hours, and after 32 hours, the response was unlikely to occur at all.

Answer 69

* Process of imprinting was a natural instinct and would cause goslings to imprint on the first large moving object they saw. * Suggests that organisms have a biological predisposition to form attachments to one single subject.  Suggests that attachment is innate

Answer 70

 Suggests attachment formation is under biological control and happens withing a critical period.  Helped to form basis of Bowlby’s evolutionary theory of attachment which is highly influential for parents.  Findings suggest that a newborn and primary caregiver should remain in close proximity during critical period, which may influence hospital policies in birthing units  ensures that mother and child stay together after birth to ensure a bond is formed.  Allows parents to form a closer bond earlier in child’s life, likely to help stable and close attachment to form later, which is found to decrease mental health issues in childhood.

Answer 71

 Huge physiological and psychological differences between human infants and geese.  Imprinting is adaptive and aids survival in geese more than humans as humans are at less risk from predators  attachment has different purpose.  Mammalian mothers show more emotional attachment to their young than birds do  usefulness of research limited.  The way that geese form attachments with primary caregivers is unlikely to reflect that of human infants and caregivers. There may be a greater need for geese to imprint compared to human infants. * Also is nearly impossible to establish if imprinting has occurred in human infants from a very early age. * Humans develop much slower than other animals and interactions are limited for a long time. * Hard to tell when an attachment has been formed.

Answer 72

Guiton  Found that chickens who imprinted on yellow washing up gloves would try to mate with them as adults (as Lorenz would have predicted). However, with experience, they eventually learned to mate with other chickens.  Supports notion of animals showing courtship behaviour towards what they imprinted on. But imprinting is shown to be not as permanent as Lorenz predicted (critical period not as influential – behaviour changed through experience)

Answer 73

* Learning theory of attachment is behaviourist explanation that suggests that attachments form through classical and operant conditioning.  Infant attaches to caregiver who provides food * Harlow’s work into attachment strongly refutes the learning theory of attachment AIMS

Answer 74

* To investigate the mechanisms by which newborn rhesus monkeys bond with their mothers.

Answer 75

* Separated newborn rhesus monkey infants from their mothers in a controlled environment. * Raised in cages alone with two types of ‘surrogate mother’:  Wire monkey with baby bottle attached  Covered in soft terrycloth and did not have a baby bottle attached * Recorded how long each infant spent with the ‘wire mother’ and ‘cloth mother’. * When the monkeys were frightened they preferred to seek comfort with the cloth mother. Tested this by placing a mechanical toy that made a loud noise into the cage and observing where the monkey sought comfort. * Also followed the monkeys who had been deprived of a real mother to see if maternal deprivation had a permanent effect.  Recorded long-term effects such as sociability of monkeys and their relationship with offspring.

Answer 76

* Monkeys spent significantly longer with the cloth mother although it provided no nutrition. * Monkeys who were reared in a social environment developed into healthy adults, while the monkeys in isolation with the surrogate mothers displayed dysfunctional adult behaviour:  Being timid  Unpredictable with other monkeys  Difficulty mating  Females were inadequate mothers – some neglected their young * Behaviour observed in monkeys left with surrogate mothers for more than 90 days. * For those left for less the effects could be reversed if placed in a normal environment where they could form attachments.

Answer 77

* Time spent with cloth mother shows how comfort is more important than food in forming attachments. * Monkeys have an innate, unlearned need for comfort, suggesting that attachment concerns emotional security more than food. * Critical period of 90 days – mother figure had to be introduced to the monkey within this period for an attachment to form, or after this the damage done by early deprivation was irreversible.

Answer 78

 Practical applications for society about long-term development and importance of a critical period.  Research demonstrates importance of emotional care and long-term consequences of early neglect in monkeys who were deprived of a mother figure for over 90 days.  Used to highlight importance of emotional care in hospitals and institutions.  E.g. skin to skin contact for newborn babies to mothers.  May encourage parents to form closer and more stable bonds in childhood early in life, allowing these relationships to continue into adulthood.  Ensures that mother and child can remain in close proximity after birth.

Answer 79

 Research carried out in lab conditions with high levels of control over extraneous variables.  Lab-reared monkeys taken from mothers a few hours after birth, preventing them from forming attachments to their mothers, which would influence behaviour and invalidate results.  Harlow was therefore able to ensure that factors affecting formation of attachment were controlled for.  This allows for replication and valid conclusions to be drawn.  However, Harlow wasn’t necessarily measuring real-life attachment formation.  Behaviour in a lab is not natural as environment is not natural.  Conclusions drawn will not be generalisable to natural settings and not representative of behaviour in the real world.

Answer 80

 Conducted research using rhesus monkeys.  Bonds between monkeys may fail to reflect the emotional connections and interactions that characterise human attachments.  Attachment in monkeys is unlikely to reflect nature of bond between human infants and caregivers.  However, rhesus monkeys and humans are though to share above 90% of their DNA, so using monkeys as participants allows for some degree of continuity, suggesting that generalisations can be made.  Harlow’s study of a mammalian species may therefore be more useful in explaining human attachment than Lorenz’s work with geese.

Answer 81

 Ethical considerations due to the monkeys suffering long-term negative effects.  Experienced separation from mothers and endured emotional harm and adverse effects continued into adulthood.  Could be argued that this is unethical – were not protected from harm and suffered, with irreversible effects. This resulted in them not functioning adequately and had a low standard of life (acted timidly, had difficulties mating).  However, if animals are exposed to suffering in research, they should ensure that the cost to the animals must be justified by the scientific benefit of the work.  Useful knowledge gained to encourage healthy attachments between children and parents.  More ethical than research into humans.

Answer 82

classical and operant conditioning

Answer 83

UCS (food) --> UCR (happiness) UCS (food) + NS (parent) --> UCR (happiness) CS (parent) --> CR (happiness) gains pleasure from being fed, associate parent with the food after attachment formed, infant gains pleasure when primary caregiver present

Answer 84

positive and negative reinforcement reinforces repetition of behaviour increases time and proximity spent together

Answer 85

baby cries and caregiver soothes provides attention

Answer 86

caregiver soothes baby and crying stops removes unpleasant sound

Answer 87

babbling funny noises and expressions nappy changing

Answer 88

founded in scientific theory - principles of classical and operant conditioning based on empirical evidence carried out in highly controlled environments - well-established theories that are scientifically testable and add credibility

Answer 89

role conditioning plays in attachment has validity - theory proposes that UCS and primary reinforcer is the baby crying so caregiver soothes the baby and behaviour is reinforced - baby encouraged to cry to earn attention, parent encouraged to soothe to prevent crying, attachment formed through time spent together - comfort associated with caregiver

Answer 90

refuted by Schaffer and Emerson - found that caregiver giving most attention and responsiveness was who child was most attached to (sensitive responsiveness) - refutes theory which suggests that we form attachments to the person who feeds us

Answer 91

demonstrated that comfort is more important than food - monkeys spent more time with mother that provided comfort than food comfort more important in forming attachments

Answer 92

Bowlby proposed that attachment is innate/biological and holds survival value refutes idea of environmental cause

Answer 93

attachment is innate, gives a survival advantage two-way process between carer and infant (protection) adaptive --> danger and responses change over time (wild animals, traffic)

Answer 94

social releasers monotropy adaptive got to stay close internal working model critical period

Answer 95

born with tendency to display innate behaviours which ensure proximity and contact with attachment figure e.g. crying, smiling that stimulate caregiving species-specific

Answer 96

emphasis on attachment to one particular caregiver qualitatively different and more important more constant and predictive care from attachment figure, better quality attachment effects of every separation from mother add up - safest dose is 'zero dose' (laws of continuity and accumulated separation)

Answer 97

attachment has evolved because need for survival has evolved no longer at risk of predation

Answer 98

staying close to caregiver helps young infants and aids survival through protection

Answer 99

form mental representation of relationship with primary caregiver - serves as model/blueprint for future relationships - idea of what relationships should be like based on interactions with primary caregiver loving and reliable --> same poor --> poor

Answer 100

2 years for attachment to form - behaviours must occur within this time for attachment to be formed if contact disrupted or broken during this time child will suffer irreversible long-term consequences of maternal deprivation sensitive period of 5 years

Answer 101

found goslings imprinted on first living object they saw to ensure survival needed to happen by 17 hours or wouldn't happen - suggests forming attachment is innate, importance of monotropy and critical period

Answer 102

monkeys who did not have secure attachment with mother figure could not form relationships with offspring - those in isolated environments became inadequate mothers - supports IWM --> when no attachment, cannot form others - idea of critical period --> no attachment formed HOWEVER, lacks generalisability due to animal research - humans are more complex, emotional, less predations

Answer 103

Love Quiz in newspaper correlation between early attachment types and later romantic relationships securely attached had more successful adult relationships supports IWM

Answer 104

Bowlby's WHO report suggested babies needed constant care from mother for healthy psychological development maternity leave - allowing women to spend time with children and form attachment and return to work without fear of losing job financial support

Answer 105

Bowlby's theory highlights importance of positive attachment experiences and maintaining monotropic bond in first 5 years instrumental in development of good childcare practices greater stability developed through day care practices assigning caregivers to children policies regarding hospital visiting hours reviewed - parent and child allowed to stay together in special care units and visitation nights

Answer 106

Schaffer and Emerson - found that by 40 weeks, children form multiple attachments with other caregivers - challenges monotropy (one relationship more important) relationships with father and grandparents may be just as important

Answer 107

suggests that secure attachment type dependent on mother's continued presence damaged for women who go back to work - guilty, responsible for impacting future relationships places unfair burden on mothers - pushed into lifestyle choices

Answer 108

fails to consider role of environment on attachment e.g. classical and operant conditioning reductionist and invalid

Answer 109

how infants 9-18 months behaviour under mild stress stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, secure-base concept quality of attachment to caregiver

Answer 110

controlled observation 2 way mirror so psychologists could observe 1. observer introduces mother and infant to room 2. infant explores, play stimulated 3. stranger enters 4. mother leaves 5. mother returns, then leaves again 6. infant alone 7. stranger enters 8. mother returns time sampling, 15-30 seconds, scored on intensity video taped

Answer 111

proximity seeking exploration and secure base behaviour stranger anxiety separation anxiety response to reunion

Answer 112

good attachment infant will stay close to caregiver

Answer 113

child feels confident to explore uses caregiver as secure bases

Answer 114

sign of good attachment

Answer 115

protest at separation from caregiver

Answer 116

easily comforted, happiness

Answer 117

do not orientate to attachment figure when exploring physically and emotionally independent do not seek contact when distressed mother and stranger easy to comfort no distress when mother leaves and little interest when reunited unconcerned by stranger 15%

Answer 118

confident that attachment figure available to meet needs use attachment figure as safe base to explore, seeks mother when distressed easily soothed by mother and joy on reunion distressed when mother leaves and stranger 70%

Answer 119

ambivalent behaviour (clingy, dependent, reject attachment and cannot be comforted) do not move away to explore independently intense distress when mother leaves and stranger present resists comfort 15%

Answer 120

likely to have insensitive caregiver, rejecting of needs may withdraw from helping with difficult tasks and unavailable during emotional distress

Answer 121

caregiver sensitive and respond appropriately to signals Bowlby: available, responsive and helpful IWM

Answer 122

behaviour results from inconsistent level of response to needs

Answer 123

determines quality of attachment sensitive mothers correctly interpret signals and respond appropriately

Answer 124

artificial, controlled environment w/ standardised procedure 8 episodes, 3 mins each easy to replicate, check for consistency carried out in different cultures

Answer 125

developed by Ainsworth in America using American sample may lack generalisability and population validity cannot assess attachment in different cultures - German infants had higher proportion of type A compared to USA - suggests that German mothers are less sensitively responsive, but independence is valued more imposed etic - imposing own cultural values onto other cultures ideal attachment type based on Western values

Answer 126

artificial environment, unfamiliar to child does not represent response in natural environment may differ in a safe, familiar setting lacks generalisability to everyday life

Answer 127

unfamiliar experience for child, causes upset deliberately causes distress - cause psych harm However, would encounter strangers and will part from parents so does not pose greater risk than everyday life

Answer 128

some infants do not fit into categories 4th attachment type - disorganised - characterised by lack of consistent patterns of social behaviour suggests original classification incomplete

Answer 129

Kagan proposed temperament hypothesis infants differ in interactions based on biological predisposed personality styles Ainsworth suggests attachment depends on sensitive responsiveness of parent, suggests inherited

Answer 130

investigate cross-cultural differences in attachment type meta-analysis differences in proportions

Answer 131

meta-analysis 32 samples from 8 countries average % of attachment type 1990 infants, collectivist and individualistic cultures only mother-infant pairs

Answer 132

secure attachment most common across all cultures highest in UK 75%, lowest in China 50% insecure resistant least common - 25% in Japan, 2% in UK insecure avoidant most common in Germany and least in Japan variation within cultures 150% more than between cultures

Answer 133

secure is norm --> behaviour innate and universal, optimal form of attachment cultural practices in child rearing have influence on attachment type

Answer 134

60 middle class Japanese infants same standardised procedure and behavioural categories

Answer 135

0% insecure avoidant 32% insecure resistant 65% secure 90% of infant alone steps had to be stopped due to excessive anxiety broke cultural norms

Answer 136

method did not work as babies too distressed - not used to being alone, could not be consoled does not mean mothers were insensitive --> cultural norm in Japanese, children not left alone until 2 years old indicates cross-cultural variations

Answer 137

German infants tended to be insecure avoidant value independence more, distance between parents and children indicates cross-cultural variations

Answer 138

76 12-moth old Italian children 56% secure attachment (lower) 36% insecure avoidant (higher) due to more mothers working long hours and using childcare cultural and societal changes can impact attachment

Answer 139

allowed for replication artificial conditions, high control, standardised procedure

Answer 140

procedure not appropriate for other cultures developed based on American ideals independence valued (type A) in Germany, less sensitive responsiveness unusual for Japanese infants to be separated from parents, easily distressed high proportion of insecure children

Answer 141

designed to be distressing, cause psych harm Japan - greater risk than everyday, not separated

Answer 142

large sample size 1990, 32 studies, 8 countries reduces impact of anomalies less likely affected by unusual ppts greater generalisability BUT, fails to represent culture as a whole 1 in China, 18 in USA, disproportionate data less representative, not accurate reflection of attachment in some cultures misleading

Answer 143

monotropy means that failure to initiate or breakdown of maternal attachment leads to negative consequences - affectionless psychopathy relationship in first 5 years is crucial - if separation occurs during critical period and no adequate substitute care, child will suffer deprivation leads to intellectual, social and emotional development consequences

Answer 144

child not in presence of caregiver if brief and have substitute caregiver, no significant impact on development extended separation can lead to deprivation

Answer 145

attachment disrupted or broken - lose element of care

Answer 146

prolonged separation in first 2.5 years detrimental if no substitute will lead to psych damage risk continues until age of 5 (sensitive period)

Answer 147

permanent, irreversible, include intellectual, emotional and social problems delinquency reduced intelligence increased aggression depression affectionless psychopathy

Answer 148

lack of concern for others, lack of guilt, inability to form meaningful relationships impulsive, little regard for consequences

Answer 149

consequences on future relationships follow pattern based on template formed by internal working model

Answer 150

link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation 44 thief teenagers interviews for signs of AP, family interviewed to establish if prolonged early separation from mothers control group of non-criminal but emotionally disturbed young people 14/44 thieves were affectionless psychopaths 12/44 experienced prolonged separation in first 2 years other 5/30 experienced separation 2/44 of control experienced separation concluded that early separation/deprivation caused AP

Answer 151

Bowlby 12/14 affectionless psychopaths experienced prolonged separation from mothers during first 2.5 years deprivation has effect on AP BUT, research lacks validity self-report techniques researcher bias, confirmation bias, want to support hypothesis in interpretation of data

Answer 152

effect on post-war thinking about childcare orphanages and children's home now avoid having many caregivers for each child, a few key workers play a central role allows substitute attachment to avoid maternal deprivation

Answer 153

Bowlby helped revolutionise hospital policy for visitation hospitals allowed parents to visit sick children focuses on wellbeing of child allows attachment to form

Answer 154

Lewis replicated 44 thieves w/ 500 young people history of prolonged separation did not predict criminality or difficulty in forming close relationships other factors may affect outcome of maternal deprivation contradicts idea that mother fully responsible for characteristics of child

Answer 155

deprivation when attachment broken or disrupted privation when no attachment in first place failed to acknowledge the difference between the two argued that separation, deprivation and privation have different long term effects

Answer 156

negative impact on mothers blame for low IQ and emotional problems if attachment disrupted makes working mothers guilty for leaving child, make them feel inadequate

ATTACHMENT Flashcards

complete --> reciprocity, interactional synchrony, Schaffer and Emerson, animal studies of attachment, learning theory of attachment, institutionalisation, influence of early attachment, Bowlby's monotropic theory, strange situation, maternal deprivation (180 cards)