Attachment Flashcards
(87 cards)
What is Sensitive Responsiveness
Sensitive responsiveness: A caregivers ability to perceive, interpret and appropriately respond to an infant’s signals, emotions and needs. A caregiver who is sensitive is attuned to the infant’s cues and reacts in ways that are supportive and comforting.
What is the the role of the Father in attachment
Role of the father: Providing stimulating playful interactions and fostering exploration & risk taking behaviours. Whilst also serving as a secondary attachment figure that supports the child’s cognitive, emotional and social development.
What is Degree of Sensitivity
Degree of sensitivity: More secure attachments are formed to their children are found in fathers who show more sensitivity to their children’s needs.
What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) study
Stages of attachment more specifically the formation of early infant adult interactions.
What participants were featured in Schaffers stages of attachment theory
Included 60 babies - 31 male and 29 female all from Glasgow.
What was Schaffers (1964) procedure
Researchers visited the babies every month for the first year then at 18 months
Researchers asked the mothers questions about the kind of protests their babies showed in 7 everyday separations to measure the babies attachments.
Outline what the Asocial stage is
Asocial Stage: Starts from 0-6 weeks babies observable behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects is similar. Babies prefer to be with people and show a preference towards familiar people and are more easily comforted by them.
Outline what the Indiscriminate attachment stage is
Indiscriminate attachment: Starts from 6 weeks - 7 months Babies start displaying more obvious and observable social behaviours. Showing a clear preference for being with other humans, recognise and prefer the company of familiar people. Usually accept cuddles and comfort from anyone and don’t usually show separation or stranger anxiety.
Outline what specific attachment stage is
Specific attachment: Starts from 7-9 months Babies form this attachment with the primary attachment figure the person who offers the most interaction and responds to babies signals the best. Start to display signs of stranger and separation anxiety\
Outline what the Multiple attachment stage is
Multiple attachment: Start at 9+ months Shortly after forming specific attachments they extend this behaviour to other people whom they regularly spend time with.
What is Imprinting
Imprinting: Bird species form an attachment to the first large moving object that they meet.
What is Contact comfort
Contact comfort: Physical and emotional comfort that an infant receives from being in physical contact with its primary caregiver.
What did Lorenz (1935) study
Lorenz studied the imprinting of Greylag Goslings
What participants featured in Lorenz’s study
12 Greylag Goslings
What was Lorenz’s setup for this study
Lorenz randomly divided 12 geese eggs into 2 batches
Half of them were hatched with their mother
The other half were incubated where they imprinted on Lorenz
What was the Critical period Lorenz outlined for imprinting
Chicks need to attach within the set time period of 4 and 25 hours after hatching if it doesn’t occur within this time frame chicks wouldn’t attach
Did Lorenz Geese try to mate with other Geese
No as whatever species the Gosling imprinted upon they would develop sexual feelings towards that species
What did Sluckin (1996) criticise Lorenz for
Sluckin (2006) replicated Lorenz study but used ducklings after successfully imprinting onto himself; he kept 1 duckling in isolation for over 5 days (past Lorenz critical period) however still managed to imprint himself onto this duckling suggesting a sensitive period.
What did Harlow (1958) study
Harlow studied baby Rhesus monkeys with a wire and cloth mother
What participants featured in Harlow’s research
16 Baby Rhesus Monkeys
What was the procedure in Harlow’s study
Harlow setup 2 conditions for the monkeys
Condition 1: The Wire mother produced milk whilst the cloth mother didn’t.
Condition 2: The Cloth mother produced milk whilst the wire mother didn’t.
The monkey was then frightened to see which mother theyd take comfort in.
What did Harlow find in his study
The monkeys sought comfort in the cloth mother regardless of which mother produced milk
Showed that contact comfort was of more importance than food
What were the consequences of Harlow’s research
Monkeys reared with the wire mother only were the most dysfunctional also having diarrhea a sign of stress
Monkeys reared with the cloth mother were more aggressive and less sociable, often taking it out on their young.
What was Harlow’s critical period for forming attachments
A mother figure had to be introduced within 90 days. After 90 days it was impossible to attach.
