Attachment Flashcards
What is a strength of Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment?
Heidi Bailey et al. (2007) found mothers with poor attachment to their own parents were more likely to have poorly attached babies.
+Supports Bowlby’s internal working model.
Counterpoint: This assumes attachments are fixed, which can be pessimistic and deterministic.
What study supports Bowlby’s concept of social releasers?
Brazleton et al. (1975) observed babies became distressed and motionless when mothers ignored social cues.
+Supports idea that infant signals promote bonding and protection.
What research challenges Bowlby’s concept of monotropy?
Schaffer & Emerson (1964) found many babies form multiple attachments at the same time.
+Suggests monotropy may not be universal or qualitatively different.
How is Bowlby’s theory socially sensitive?
Feminists like Erica Burman argue it pressures women not to work.
+Bowlby’s law of continuity implies that absence of the mother leads to harm.
Counterpoint: Bowlby did not intend to restrict mothers; his focus was on improving childcare.
What practical value comes from Romanian orphan research?
Led to key workers in orphanages to promote stable attachments.
+Improves children’s social and emotional outcomes.
Why is internal validity high in Romanian orphan studies?
Children in the studies had minimal trauma before institutionalisation, unlike earlier studies.
+Isolates the effects of institutionalisation.
Why might Romanian orphan findings lack generalisability?
Orphanage conditions were extremely poor (low stimulation, caregiver neglect).
+May not apply to higher quality institutions.
What ethical issue arose in the BEIP study?
Children were randomly assigned to stay in orphanages or go to foster care.
+Raises ethical concerns.
Counterpoint: Foster care didn’t exist before the study; it actually improved outcomes for many.
What is a strength of the Strange Situation’s predictive validity?
Securely attached infants tend to do better at school and in adult relationships.
+Attachment type predicts later outcomes.
What supports the reliability of the Strange Situation?
High inter-rater reliability (94%) due to controlled setting and standardised behavioural categories.
+Suggests consistent classification of attachment types.
Why might the Strange Situation lack internal validity?
Kagan (1982) suggested temperament may influence infant behaviour more than attachment.
+Also, babies used to childcare may show low distress due to familiarity, not secure attachment.
What cultural bias affects the Strange Situation?
Developed in USA, so assumptions (e.g., separation anxiety = insecure) don’t apply everywhere.
+In Japan (Takahashi, 1986), distress may reflect cultural norms of constant proximity.
Counterpoint: Strange Situation is still replicable and useful for comparison across cultures.
What study links early attachment to romantic relationships?
Hazan & Shaver (1987) found securely attached adults had more stable and trusting relationships.
+Supports internal working model shaping future bonds.
What evidence supports continuity of attachment types?
Bailey et al. (2007): women with poor childhood attachments more likely to have poorly attached children.
+Supports internal working model across generations.
What evidence challenges the internal working model idea?
Becker-Stoll et al. (2008) found insecure infants later classified as secure at age 16.
+Suggests attachment type can change over time.
Counterpoint: May reflect better later caregiving or life experiences, not invalidity of early model.
Why is self-report a limitation in research on early attachment and later relationships?
Many studies (e.g., Hazan & Shaver) rely on self-report, which may be biased or inaccurate.
+Also, correlation doesn’t imply causation: genetic traits may influence both early and later behaviour.
Why is large sample size a strength of Van Ijzendoorn’s meta-analysis?
Meta-analysis included 1990 children from 32 studies, reducing anomalies and increasing internal validity.
+More generalisable across cultures.
What is a strength of using indigenous researchers in cross-cultural studies?
Local researchers reduce language barriers and misinterpretation.
+Increases internal validity and cultural accuracy.
What is a limitation of cultural attachment studies due to imposed etic?
Strange Situation is based on Western norms; e.g., high separation anxiety in Japan may reflect cultural closeness, not insecure attachment.
+May lead to invalid classification of attachment type.
Why might cultural variation findings lack generalisability?
Some countries had only 1 study (e.g., UK, China).
+Van Ijzendoorn found more variation within countries than between them.
Counterpoint: Still offers valuable cross-cultural insight into attachment.
What is a major ethical limitation of Harlow’s study on rhesus monkeys?
Harlow’s monkeys were subjected to long-term emotional harm from maternal deprivation.
+Raises concerns over animal rights and lasting psychological damage.
Counterpoint: Despite ethical issues, the study provided essential insights into the nature of attachment.
What does Harlow’s study suggest about the role of comfort in attachment?
Monkeys preferred cloth mothers over wire ones, even if the wire mother gave food.
+Shows attachment is formed through comfort and security, not just feeding.
Supports Bowlby over Learning Theory.
How has Harlow’s research influenced our understanding of human attachment?
Demonstrated the importance of early emotional care, influencing child welfare practices and adoption policies.
+Supports the idea that attachment impacts emotional and social development.
Why might findings from Harlow’s study have limited generalisability?
Although monkeys are close to humans genetically, differences in social behaviour and complexity mean findings may not fully apply to humans.
+Generalisation must be made with caution.
