Development of attachment (Social)

Question 1

Define attachment according to Ainsworth.

Answer 1

An affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one.

Question 2

What attachment bond specifically are psychologists interested in?

Answer 2

An attachment bond between a baby and their carer. (Mother-baby bond)

Question 3

What are the three main areas to consider when looking at development of babies?

Answer 3

-Theories of attachment: Why we form them.
-Types of attachment we form with main carer.
-Stages of attachment: How they change over time.

Question 4

What are the two main theories of attachment?

Answer 4

Behaviourist theory
Evolutionary theory

Question 5

Behaviourist theory

Answer 5

Babies are born a blank slate, and learn attachment through operant/classical conditioning and Social learning theory

Question 6

Evolutionary theory

Answer 6

Attachment behaviour has evolved over time to ensure survival.

Question 7

What is Cupboard love theory?

Answer 7

Where the infants’s instinctual needs such as food, security etc, are met by the mother. This makes the infant desire their mother. Process of gratification

Question 8

Explain how research by Harlow disproves cupboard love theory.

Answer 8

Given a choice, baby rhesus monkeys would choose to spend time with a cuddly surrogate mother made of wire compared to one that fed them. If monkey was scared, it would go to the cuddly monkey not the feeding one.

Question 9

Is Bowlby a behaviourist or evolutionary theorist?

Answer 9

An evolutionary theorist, inspired by psychodynamic approach

Question 10

What is Drive theory?

Answer 10

Babies are born with innate drives such as hunger, that only the mother can reduce. By classical conditioning, the baby associates satisfaction with the mother

Question 11

Bowlby’s theory of attachment

Answer 11

Attachment was an innate behaviour used to ensure the survival of the baby. They need to bond quickly with their mother to ensure their survival, which is important when the infant is so dependent on others for its care.

Question 12

Who was Bowlby’s attachment theory influenced by?

Answer 12

Lorenz

Question 13

What did Lorenz find with attachment?

Answer 13

He focused on attachment in geese. Found that birds would imprint on first living thing they saw after hatching.

Question 14

How does research by Bushnell et al (2011) prove Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 14

Confirms that neonate babies can recognise it’s mother’s face based on visual stimuli alone. This supports Bowlby’s view that there is some innate ability as the basis of baby-carer attachment.

Question 15

What reason does Bowlby suggest for newborn babies needing to bond with their mother?

Answer 15

To ensure their survival. Important when infant is dependent on others for care.

Question 16

What evidence is there for attachment behaviours being considered innate?

Answer 16

MRI scans of mothers brains which show certain areas of the mothers brain respond to social releasers from their own baby, but not to other babies.

Question 17

Define the term bonding?

Answer 17

Refers to skin to skin contact, nothing to do with attachment.

Question 18

What study shows the correlation between skin-to-skin bonding and breastfeeding?

Answer 18

Thurkral (2012)

Question 19

Outline Thurkral’s study into bonding.

Answer 19

Found that babies who had skin-to-skin contact with their mother. for two hours directly after birth showed higher levels of exclusive breastfeeding at both 48 hours and 6 weeks.

Question 20

How many types of parent-infant attachment are there?

Answer 20

4

Question 21

What are the four types of parent -infant attachment?

Answer 21

-Secure,
-Insecure avoidant,
-Insecure resistant,
-Insecure disorganised.

Question 22

What is the carer’s response to child’s needs in the Secure type of attachment?

Answer 22

Sensitive and loving, such as picking up and reassuring a child.

Question 23

What are is the key child behaviour in Secure attachment?

Answer 23

Seeks proximity of caregiver.

Question 24

What is the carer’s response to child’s needs in the Insecure Avoidant type of attachment?

Answer 24

Insensitive and rejecting, such as ridiculing or becoming annoyed.

Question 25

What is the key child behaviour in Insecure Avoidant attachment?

Answer 25

Avoids caregiver in times of need

Question 26

What is the carer's response to child's needs in the Insecure Resistant type of attachment

Answer 26

Insensitive and inconsistent, such as overreacting or highlighting carer's own needs

Question 27

What is the key child behaviour in Insecure Resistant attachment?

Answer 27

Exaggerates distress and anger to ensure caregiver notices.

Question 28

Who found the fourth type of attachment: Insecure Disorganised?

Answer 28

Main and Solomon (1986)

Question 29

What is the carer's response to child's needs in the Insecure Disorganised type of attachment?

Answer 29

Insensitive and not normal such as frightening or frightened, or sexualised. Not always shown when the child is distressed (Linked to parents own traumas)

Question 30

What is the key child behaviours in the Insecure Disorganised attachment?

Answer 30

Bizarre and contradictory behaviour such as freezing or running away from parent.

Question 31

Who carried out a study to identify the different stages of attachment?

Answer 31

Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

Question 32

Explain Schaffer and Emerson's study into the identify the different stages of attachment.

Answer 32

Longitudinal study on 60 babies, monthly intervals to 18 months. Identified stages of attachment from observing infant-carer interactions.

Question 33

What are the stages of attachment according to Schaffer and Emerson?

Answer 33

0-3 months: Indiscriminate attachments 4-7 months: Specific attachments 7-9 months: Single figure attachments 9+ months: Multiple attachments.

Question 34

What is sensitive responsiveness?

Answer 34

The attachment figure being whoever responded most accurately to the baby's signals, not always their mother or whoever they spent the most time with.

Question 35

What are Bowlby's 4 stages of attachment?

Answer 35

Birth-6 weeks: Pre-attachment 6-8 weeks: Making attachment 8-18 months: Clear cut attachment 18 months-2 yrs: Reciprocal attachment

Question 36

What did Bowlby believe the impact of being able to develop attachments was?

Answer 36

Results in delinquent children

Question 37

Describe Bowlby's 1944 study into lack of attachment.

Answer 37

44 juvenile thieves, lived with their parents -given assessments on intelligence etc, then were interviewed by Bowlby -He described many of them as having a lack of affection. Teenagers who had been separated from mother in first two years more likely to show 'affectionless psychopathy'

Question 38

What are some negative effects of deprivation (where a bond has been broken)?

Answer 38

Low academic and socio-economic achievements Bifulco et al (1987) Higher rates of depression after the death of mothers compared to divorce.

Question 39

Describe Robertson's study into short term effects of separation from carer.

Answer 39

1948-1952 children between 17 months-3yrs had no contact with parents for up to 2 weeks. -Found three distinct stages, distress, despair and detachment

Question 40

Describe the aim of Ainsworth and Bell (1970)'s strange situation study.

Answer 40

To observe attachment behaviour of a child in a lab setting using the strange situation.

Question 41

Who were the participants of Ainsworth and Bell's study?

Answer 41

56 children, from white middle class backgrounds. 23 observed from birth. Other 33 were observed from 49 weeks old. All children were under a year old.

Question 42

Describe the procedure of Ainsworth and Bell's study.

Answer 42

-Each child tested individually, room marked into 16 squares for observation every 15s, with toys also available. -Mother and child enter room, -The stranger enters after and sits and talks etc for one minute -Mother leaves after 3 minutes, stranger sits or plays with toys -If baby becomes distressed stranger tries to comfort. -Mother stands at door for response, stranger leaves, baby is settled. -stranger returns again, same process then leaves -Mother returns

Question 43

How was behaviour measured in the strange situation?

Answer 43

-Frequency of exploratory behaviour -Crying behaviour -Each 15s analysed + given score. Maximum score was 12 Higher ratings for behaviour compared to signalling: -Proximity seeking and contact maintaining behaviours e.g clinging, approaching -Proximity avoiding and contact resisting behaviours e.g Ignoring and pushing away.

Question 44

What were some results of the strange situation?

Answer 44

-Exploratory behaviour decreased when mother left room and baby left with stranger -Crying happened more the second time the mother left -Search behaviour increased when child was left alone -Proximity seeking and contact maintaining seen more when mother returned -Contact resisting and proximity avoiding behaviours not seen until reuinion.

Question 45

What are the applications of attachment-friendly environments?

Answer 45

-Robertsons study into children hospitals used as evidence to rethink visiting limitations on parents. Now parents are able to stay nearby the. hospital where their child is E.g Ronald Mcdonald charity, accommodation near hospitals -Key person approach in care, someone they can attach to while parent is away e.g nursery worker