attachment: part three

Question 1

What did Bowlby believe separation from a mother figure would lead to?

Answer 1

lead to maternal deprivation

Question 2

What is ‘separation’?

Answer 2

Separation - child not being physically in presence of primary attachment figure

Question 3

What is ‘deprivation’? Can it be avoided?

Answer 3

Deprivation - losing emotional care as a result of separation
Can be avoided if alternative care is offered - separation doesn’t always lead to deprivation

Question 4

What happens if a child is separated from the caregiver/substitute during the critical period?

Answer 4

If a child is separated for an extended period during the first 30 months (CRITICAL PERIOD) - psychological damage inevitable

Question 5

How does deprivation during the critical period impact intellectual development?

Answer 5

Extended deprivation of maternal care during critical period may lead to mental retardation and lower IQ - look at Rutter stats

Question 6

How does deprivation during the critical period impact emotional development?

Answer 6

Extended deprivation of maternal care during critical period may lead to affectionless psychopathy - prevents normal relationship + linked to criminality

Question 7

What study did Bowbly carry to test the connection between criminality and maternal deprivation?

Answer 7

44 Thieves Study

Question 8

Bowlby’s 44 thieves study: Procedure

Answer 8

Procedure

1. Sample of 44 teenagers accused of stealing (‘thieves’)
2. Families interviewed to establish any prolonged separation from mothers
3. ‘Thieves’ interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy - signs: lack of affection, guilt, sympathy

Question 9

Bowlby’s 44 thieves study: Findings and Conclusions

Answer 9

Findings:

• 14 described as affectionless psychopaths - 12/14 had experienced prolonged separation from mothers in first 2 years of their lives
• Only 5/30 left in sample had experienced separations - suggests early maternal deprivation linked to affectionless psychopathy

Question 10

How did Bowlby’s 44 thieves study supported by other evidence? (+)

Answer 10

(+) Harlow study with monkeys - monkeys suffered long-term psychological affected - mating, socialising etc - to what extent can results be generalised to human behaviour?

Question 11

State two effects of institutionalisation

Answer 11

• disinhibited attachment - equally friendy to known and unknown people
• damage to intellectual development - if adopted after 6 months of age

Question 12

Rutter et al Romanian orphan studies: Procedure

Answer 12

1. follows group of 165 orphans who experienced very poor conditions before being adopted in Britain
2. longitudinal study - does good care resolve bad experiences - physical, cognitive, and emotional development checked at 4, 6, 11 and 15
3. control group of 52 adopted British children

Question 13

Rutter et al Romanian orphan studies: Findings (4)

Answer 13

at age of 11:

• adopted before six months: mean IQ of 102
• between 6 months - 2 years: mean IQ of 86
• after 2 years: mean IQ of 77
• frequency of disinhibited attachment related to age of adopted - much more apparent in adopted after 6 months

Question 14

Rutter et al Romanian orphan studies: what do the findings support the idea of?

Answer 14

Findings support the idea of a sensitive period in development of attachments - failure to firm an attachment before 6 months has long-lasting effects

Question 15

Rutter et al Romanian orphan studies: Strengths (2)

Answer 15

(+) Important practical applications
- improvement in child care in institutions - London hospitals
- ‘key workers’ (not large groups) play central role in child’s care
- allows children to develop secure/normal attachments - long-term effects avoided
(+) Supporting evidence - Zeanah Bucharest - confounding variables

Question 16

Rutter et al Romanian orphan studies: Weakness (1)

Answer 16

• Generalisability - very extreme case of neglect (was this necessary to display true causes?)

Question 17

Zeanah Bucharest Early Intervention Project: Procedure (2)

Answer 17

1. Strange Situation - assed 95 children (around 1-2 years old) who had spent most their lives in institutionalised care
2. Control group of 50 never experienced institutionalised care

Question 18

Zeanah Bucharest Early Intervention Project: Findings

Answer 18

• 19% of institutionalised group securely attached

- 65% - disorganised attachment

Question 19

Influence of early attachment on later relationships - explain in 3 sentences

Answer 19

• the nature and quality of a child’s first attachment as a template for future relationships - internal working model
• good experience of attachment = good relationship expectations (behaviour, conduct, expectations)
• bad experience of attachment = bad relationship expectations

Question 20

Influence of early attachment on later relationships: how does this research link into bullying? (4)

Answer 20

- Kerns:- securely attached - likely to form good friendships
Myron-Wilson and Smith:
- secure - unlikely to be involved
- insecure-avoidant - often victims
- insecure-resistant - often bully

Question 21

Influence of early attachment on later relationships: how can an attachment type be passed through generations?

Answer 21

• internal working model impacts parenting style

- attachment type passed through generations

Question 22

Influence of early attachment on later relationships: Key Study…

Answer 22

• Hazen and Shaver Romantic Relationships

Question 23

Hazen and Shaver Romantic Relationships: Procedure (2)

Answer 23

1. analysed 620 replies to a ‘love quiz’ printed in an American local newspaper
2. quiz assessed three different aspects of relationships - respondents’ current and most important relationship, general love experiences, attachment type

Question 24

Hazen and Shaver Romantic Relationships: Findings (4)

Answer 24

• 56% - secure
• 25% insecure-avoidant
• 19% insecure resistant
• attachment type reflected in their romantic relationships - secure likely to have good and long-lasting relationships, avoidant tended to be jealous and fear intimacy