Attachment

Question 1

Two types of caregiver-infant interactions?

Answer 1

Interactional Synchrony
Reciprocity

Question 2

What is reciprocity?

Answer 2

When an interaction involves each person responding to the other and elicits a response from them. ‘Turn-taking’

Question 3

What are alert phases?

Answer 3

Phases when a baby signals they’re ready for a spell of interaction (e.g making eye contact)

Question 4

What does active involvement mean?

Answer 4

Both caregivers and babies can initiate interactions

Question 5

What is interactional synchrony?

Answer 5

The temporal co-ordination of micro-level social behaviour (mirroring)

Question 6

Study surrounding the importance of interactional synchrony?

Answer 6

Isabella et al observed 30 mothers and babies for degree of synchrony. High levels associated with better quality mother-baby attachment.

Question 7

Strengths of caregiver-infant interactions [3]

Answer 7

• Filmed observations in lab- can control other distractions, no demand characteristics as babies are unaware.
• Evidence that early interactions are important
• Practical application- parent-child interaction therapy

Question 8

Weaknesses of caregiver-infant interactions [2]

Answer 8

• Difficulties observing babies- lack of coordination, can’t be certain that some behaviours have meaning
• Socially sensitive- can be used to argue that a mother returning to work too soon after baby’s birth may risk damaging child’s development

Question 9

What is Schaffer and Emerson’s first stage of attachment?

Answer 9

Asocial Stage- Preference over familiar people

Question 10

What is Schaffer and Emerson’s second stage of attachment?

Answer 10

Indiscriminate Attachment- Display more obvious and observable behaviour

Question 11

What is Schaffer and Emerson’s third stage of attachment?

Answer 11

Specific Attachment- Signs of attachment towards PAF

Question 12

What is Schaffer and Emerson’s fourth stage of attachment?

Answer 12

Multiple Attachments

Question 13

When does asocial stage occur?

Answer 13

First few weeks

Question 14

When does indiscriminate attachment occur?

Answer 14

2-7 months

Question 15

When does specific attachment occur?

Answer 15

Around 7 months

Question 16

When do multiple attachments occur?

Answer 16

By age of one

Question 17

In what % of cases is the mother the PAF?

Answer 17

65%

Question 18

What % of children form secondary attachment within 1 month of primary?

Answer 18

29%

Question 19

How were the four stages of attachment developed?

Answer 19

Schaffer and Emerson observed and spoke to mothers of 60 babies each month for a year.

Question 20

Strengths of Schaffer’s stages of attachment [3]

Answer 20

-Good external validity- observations made by parents therefore babies not anxious or distracted
- Real world application- day care
- Generalisability- Based stage account on a large-scale study

Question 21

Weaknesses of Schaffer’s Stages of attachment [3]

Answer 21

• Social desirability bias from mothers- misremembering or noticing anxious behaviour more
• Poor evidence of asocial stage- young babies- uncoordinated, subtle, difficult to observe
• Cultural differences- only looked at one sample- in collectivist cultures, may be more attachments at earlier age

Question 22

% cases father is PAF

Answer 22

3%

Question 23

% cases father is joint first object of attachment

Answer 23

27%

Question 24

What % of cases is an attachment formed to the father by 18 months

Answer 24

75%

Question 25

What did Grossman et al's longitudinal study show?

Answer 25

Fathers relate more to play and stimulation rather than emotional development

Question 26

Strengths of research into the role of the father [2]

Answer 26

- Parents in single mum/lesbian parent families adapt to role of father (counterpoint to weakness) - Real world application- offer advice to parents, reassurance on pressure surrounding gender stereotypes

Question 27

Weaknesses of research into the role of the father [3]

Answer 27

- Confusion over research question- difficult to offer simple answer, depends on specific role - Conflicting evidence- If parents had distinctive role, would expect kids growing up in lesbian/single mum families would turn out different -Bias in research- preconceptions about how the father should behave

Question 28

Lorenz procedure

Answer 28

Randomly divided clutch of goose eggs. Half hatched with mother in natural environment, half in incubator & first object seen was Lorenz.

Question 29

Lorenz findings

Answer 29

Incubator group followed Lorenz, control group followed mother.

Question 30

Lorenz case study

Answer 30

Described peacock reared in reptile house & only directed courtship behaviour towards tortoises (sexual imprinting)

Question 31

Strength of Lorenz's imprinting study on geese [2]

Answer 31

- Research support- Regolin and Vallortigara- chicks exposed to shape combos that moved and followed original more closely - Applications to understanding human behaviour- Seebach suggested computer users exhibit 'baby duck syndrome'

Question 32

Weaknesses of Lorenz's imprinting study on geese [1]

Answer 32

- Generalisability to humans- Mammalian attachment system more complex than in birds- 2-way process in mammals

Question 33

What did Lorenz study?

Answer 33

Imprinting

Question 34

What did Harlow study

Answer 34

The importance of contact comfort

Question 35

Harlow procedure

Answer 35

Reared 16 baby monkeys with 2 wire model mothers.

Question 36

Harlow findings

Answer 36

Cuddled cloth-covered and sought comfort when frightened. Contact comfort more important than food for attachment.

Question 37

Harlow- maternally deprived monkeys as adults

Answer 37

Did not develop normal behaviour- aggressive, less sociable, bred less, neglected offspring

Question 38

Harlow's conclusion about the critical period

Answer 38

Mother figure should be introduced within 90 days of birth for an attachment to form. If not, damage= irreversible

Question 39

Strengths of Harlow's study [1]

Answer 39

- Real world value- Helped social workers and clinical psychologists understand lack of bonding experiences= higher risk for a child's development. And understand importance of attachment figures in zoos & breeding programmes

Question 40

Weaknesses of Harlow's study [2]

Answer 40

- Generalisability in humans- humans more complex than rhesus monkeys - Ethical issues- long term and severe emotional distress to monkeys