Attachment Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?
Interaction where both infant and caregiver respond to each other’s signals and elicit a response from the other.
Key study: Tronick et al. (1979) - ‘Still-face experiment’ showed the importance of reciprocal interaction.
What did the ‘Still-face experiment’ by Tronick et al. (1979) demonstrate?
When mothers stopped responding to their babies, infants became distressed, highlighting the importance of reciprocal interaction.
Define interactional synchrony.
Mother and infant reflect both the actions and emotions of the other in a coordinated way.
What did Meltzoff & Moore (1977) find regarding infants and interactional synchrony?
Infants as young as 2 weeks imitated facial expressions and gestures.
What is the asocial stage of attachment according to Schaffer & Emerson?
0-6 weeks: Similar response to all stimuli, some preference for faces.
What characterizes the indiscriminate attachment stage?
6 weeks–7 months: Preference for human company, can be comforted by anyone.
What is the specific attachment stage in Schaffer & Emerson’s stages of attachment?
7–9 months: Attachment to one person (primary caregiver), shows separation/stranger anxiety.
At what age do multiple attachments typically form according to Schaffer & Emerson?
10+ months: Attachment to several people (secondary attachments).
What percentage of infants showed separation anxiety towards a specific adult by 25–32 weeks?
50%.
What are the strengths of Schaffer & Emerson’s study?
High ecological validity and longitudinal design.
What limitations were noted in Schaffer & Emerson’s study?
Biased sample, self-report may be unreliable, cultural changes since 1960s.
What was the main finding of Lorenz’s (1935) study on imprinting in geese?
Goslings followed the first moving object (imprinting); critical period within hours after hatching.
What did Harlow’s (1958) study on Rhesus monkeys reveal about attachment?
Monkeys preferred the cloth mother (comfort) over the wire mother (food).
What is the critical period for attachment formation in Harlow’s study?
90 days.
What does the Learning Theory (Dollard & Miller, 1950) propose about attachment?
Attachment is formed through classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and drive reduction.
What is Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory?
Attachment is innate and adaptive, with one primary attachment figure being more important.
What is the critical period for attachment formation according to Bowlby?
2.5 years.
What are social releasers in Bowlby’s theory?
Innate infant behaviors (smiling, crying) that trigger adult caregiving.
What does the internal working model refer to in Bowlby’s theory?
Mental representation of first attachment that forms a template for future relationships.
What was the main procedure of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?
Controlled observation with 7 episodes assessing exploration, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, and reunion behaviour.
What are the three types of attachment identified in Ainsworth’s Strange Situation?
- Secure (Type B)
- Insecure-Avoidant (Type A)
- Insecure-Resistant (Type C)
What percentage of infants are classified as secure (Type B) in the UK?
60-75%.
What did Van IJzendoorn & Kroonenberg (1988) find in their meta-analysis of attachment?
Secure attachment is most common across countries, but varies significantly.
What is maternal deprivation according to Bowlby?
Loss of emotional care, especially during the critical period (first 2.5 years).
