Attachments

Question 1

What are “alert phases” in reciprocity?

Answer 1

Phases in which babies signal that they are ready for a spell of interaction.

Question 2

Do babies have an active or passive role in interactions?

Answer 2

They are suggested to have an active role like their caregivers and have the capacity to initiate interactions.

Question 3

What best defines interactional synchrony?

Answer 3

The temporal co-ordination of micro-level social behaviour.

Question 4

What is the research into interactional synchrony from Meltzoff and Moore?

Answer 4

Adults displayed one of three distinctive hand gestures/facial expressions. The babies behaviour was filmed and labelled, the babies seemed to mirror the behaviour enough to make a significant association.

Question 5

What is the research support from Isabella et al. for the developmental importance of interactional synchrony?

Answer 5

Observed 30 mothers and babies and observed the degree of synchrony and their attachment. They found that better synchrony related to better quality attachments.

Question 6

What is a strength of caregiver-infant interaction research?

Answer 6

Most of the research is filmed in a laboratory, meaning that other extraneous material can be controlled.
Inter-rater reliability can be established.
Babies don’t know they’re being observed, so their behaviour does not change in lab settings/observations.

Question 7

Why are babies difficult to observe?

Answer 7

They often lack co-ordination and fine motor skills so it may be difficult to really tell what they are doing from observational research. Hard to make assumptions and generalise.

Question 8

What is the issue of developmental importance (negative) and the counterpoint for CG-infant interactions? (Use AO1)

Answer 8

Researchers point out that just because we can see the patterns of these interactions, it does not tell us anything substantial about their developments.
Counter: use Isabella et al. study.

Question 9

Why may research into CG-infant interactions be socially sensitive?

Answer 9

Because it indicates that mothers who return to work soon after giving birth are developmentally impacting their children.

Question 10

From Schaffer and Emerson’s research, how many babies attached solely to their fathers first? (% - very low)

Answer 10

3%.

Question 11

What percentage of babies from Schaffer and Emerson’s study attached to their fathers after 18 months?

Answer 11

75%.

Question 12

What is Grossman’s et al. study into the role of the father?

Answer 12

Longitudinal study where babies attachments were studied into their teen years.
Their quality of attachment with their mother but not fathers was indicative of how they attached in later years, suggesting the role of the father is not as important.
However, he found quality of play with fathers to be indicative of how they attached in later years.

Question 13

What is the study from Field et al. investigating fathers as PAFs?

Answer 13

Filmed 4 month old babies and compared PAF fathers to PAF mothers and SAF fathers.
Found that PAF fathers spent more time engaging in CG-infant inferactions than SAF fathers.

Question 14

What is the conflicting evidence for the role of the father? (What does it not explain)
What is the counter?

Answer 14

Research suggests that fathers have a distinctive role, but why does this not cause children to come out “different” in lesbian/single parent families.
Counter: many argue that people from these families simply ADAPT to fill the role of the father.

Question 15

What is the real-world application of research into role of the father?

Answer 15

It reassures families that are unsure of how to move forward, especially in situations where the mother is the “breadwinner”.

Question 16

Why is research into the role of the father flawed?

Answer 16

Because there is confusion over the actual research question, people do not know whether it is asking about the role of the father as a PAF or as a SAF.

Question 17

Why may research into the role of the father be biased?

Answer 17

Because observers may work upon their own pre-conceived stereotypes about how fathers act.

Question 18

Why is Bowlbys theory monotropic?

Answer 18

Because he placed great importance on a child’s attachment to ONE caregiver.

Question 19

What are the two principles from Bowlbys theory of monotropy?

Answer 19

The law of continuity - the more constant/predictable a child’s care is, the better quality the attachment.
The law of accumulated separation - separation from the attachment figure “adds up”.

Question 20

What are social releasers?

Answer 20

The innate “cute” behaviours that babies display in order to attract attention from adults.

Question 21

When did Bowlby state that a baby is maximally sensitive? (critical period)

Answer 21

6 months.

Question 22

How long did Bowlby think the sensitive period lasted for?

Answer 22

Can extent up to 2 years.

Question 23

How does Schaffer and Emerson’s research challenge Bowlby’s theory of monotropy?

Answer 23

Although most formed one at first, a SIGNIFICANT MINORITY formed multiple at once which undermines the validity of his theory.
Also, it is suggested that the first attachment isn’t necessarily different, just STRONGER.

Question 24

What is the Brazelton et al. study that supports social releasers?

Answer 24

Adults ignored social releasers, babies gave up/lay motionless. Some became increasingly distressed.

Question 25

What is the support from Bailey et al. for the IWM and the counterpoint?

Answer 25

They assessed attachments in 99 mothers with their babies and then did the same with the MOTHER’s mothers. They found that poorly attached babies were likelier to have poorly attached mothers. Counter: may have been skewed by memory, bias etc.

Question 27

What is an issue with parts of Bowlbys theory like the law of accumulated separation?

Answer 27

There are feminist concerns, as many argues it blames mothers for developmental issues, may be socially sensitive.

Question 28

What were the 5 behaviours used to assess attachment in the strange situation?

Answer 28

Proximity seeking Secure base/ exploration behaviour Stranger anxiety Separation anxiety Reunion behaviour

Question 29

What are the features of securely attached babies?

Answer 29

Show proximity seeking, exploration and secure base behaviour. Moderate separation/stranger anxiety. Require and accept comfort upon reunion.

Question 30

What percentage of British babies are classed as secure?

Answer 30

60-75%

Question 31

What are the features of insecure-avoidant babies?

Answer 31

Explore freely without showing proximity seeking or secure-base behaviour. Show little/none stranger and separation anxiety. They make little effort to accept comfort upon reuinion and may avoid.

Question 32

What percentage of British babies are insecure avoidant?

Answer 32

20-25%

Question 33

What are the features of insecure-resistant babies?

Answer 33

Seek greater proximity than others, explore much less. They show high stranger and separation anxiety but resist comfort upon reunion.

Question 34

What percentage of British babies are insecure resistant?

Answer 34

3%

Question 35

What is a strength of Ainsworth’s research? (Reliability)

Answer 35

It has GREAT inter-rater reliability (0.94). This is from Bick et al. who employed a team of trained observers. This is probably due to the high level of control.

Question 36

What is the strength and counter of Ainsworth’s research in terms of predictive validity?

Answer 36

Research has proved that secure attachment generally leads to better quality of life later on, such as better achievement in school and less bullying. And have better mental health as adults. Counter: although it measures something, some researchers attribute differences between babies as anxiety responses.

Question 37

What is the research from Main and Solomon that critiques Ainsworth’s attachment types?

Answer 37

They outlined type D, disorganised (mix of resistant and avoidant behaviours) but this only occurred in cases of severe neglect.

Question 38

What was Kroonenberg et al’s. study on cultural variation in attachment? (Procedure)

Answer 38

Meta analysis of 32 studies of the strange situation over 8 countries. Over 1900 children.

Question 39

What are some of the key findings from Kroonenberg et als. study?

Answer 39

In all countries, secure was the MOST COMMON. Rates of insecure-resistant were higher in collectivist cultures (over 25%) They also found that variations within countries were 150% greater than between, such as in the US.

Question 40

What is the Korean study from Jin et al?

Answer 40

SS used to assess 87 Korean babies. Most babies were secure. However, there was a much higher proportion of resistant than avoidant in the insecurely attached babies. This is similar to Japan, may indicate something about child rearing practices.

Question 41

What is a strength of research done on cultural variations of attachment? (Who are the researchers likely to be) What is the counter?

Answer 41

INDIGENOUS RESEARCHERS. Less problems faced when dealing with cross-cultural research. Counter: this is not true for all research from this area.

Question 42

Why is cultural variation research extremely flawed?

Answer 42

Confounding variables, methodology is NOT STANDARDISED.

Question 43

How many orphans did Rutter follow in his ERA study?

Answer 43

165 orphans adopted by British families.

Question 44

What was the research question in Rutter’s research?

Answer 44

Whether good quality aftercare could make up for early attachment experiences.

Question 45

What did rutter find about intellectual development?

Answer 45

The older children were adopted, the worse their intellectual delay was.

Question 46

What attachment style did rutter find in adoptees adopted after 6 months?

Answer 46

Disinhibited attachment style.

Question 47

How does early attachment impact childhood relationships?

Answer 47

Securely attached babies go on to form better quality childhood friendships than insecurely attached.

Question 48

What is the research from Smith et al. into early attachments and bullying?

Answer 48

Standard questionnaire assessed 196 7-11 year olds from London. Secure was likely to not be involved. Avoidant likely to be the victim Resistant likely to be the bully.

Question 49

Outline research into how romantic relationships are affected by IWM? (Love quiz)

Answer 49

Hazan and Shaver - analysed 630 results from a “love quiz” and found 56% were secure, finding that these people had the healthiest and best-lasting relationships.

Question 50

What is Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 50

Studied the link between AP and maternal deprivation, He interviewed 44 juvenile thieves about their guilt, emotions etc and interviewed their families to ask about separation/deprivation. Compared to a control of 44 non criminals. Found that 14/44 were AP and 12 of those had experienced maternal deprivation.

Question 51

What is the different between deprivation and privation?

Answer 51

Privation - never forming an attachment. Deprivation - having your existing attachment neglected.