Early Relationships

Question 1

How did Schaffer define attachment?

Answer 1

A long-enduring, emotionally meaningful tie to a particular individual

Question 2

What are some characteristics of attachment?

Answer 2

Characterises the first relationship a child makes
Object of a child’s attachment usually reciprocates emotions
Results in a strong 2-way emotional bond

Question 3

What are the 4 characteristics of attachment in infancy?

Answer 3

Selective - behaviour focused on specific person
Proximity seeking - effort to remain close to person of attachment
Comforting - proximity provides comfort and security
Separation distress - results when proximity isn’t achieved

Question 4

What is Bowlbys theory of attachment?

Answer 4

Infant is genetically predisposed to develop attachment to caregiver. Mother is genetically predisposed to respond appropriately to infants. Functions on 2 levels

Question 5

What are the 2 levels of function for Bowlbys theory?

Answer 5

Biological function - motivation to be near parent increase likelihood of receive it car and thus survival
Psychological function - provide feeling of security

Question 6

What are the 4 stages of attachment?

Answer 6

Pre-attachment (birth-2months)
Attachment in the making (2-months)
Clearcut attachment (7-24months)
Goal-corrected attachment (>24 months)

Question 7

What happens in pre-attachment?

Answer 7

Predisposed behaviours e.g. smiling, grasping, crying
Indiscriminate social responsiveness; accept care from anyone

Question 8

What happens in attachment-in-the-making?

Answer 8

Child responds differently to caregiver vs stranger e.g. easily comforted by caregiver
Recognise familiar people but still accept care from anyone

Question 9

What happens in clear cut attachment?

Answer 9

Major change - no longer accept care from anyone (depends on person permanence, PP)
PP - people continue to exist when out of digit, require ability to recall person from memory and recall ability develops often recognition ability

Question 10

What happens in goal corrected partnership?

Answer 10

Childs improving representation abilities allow understanding factors influences temporary absence of caregiver
Negation - accommodate mothers needs and manipulate parents

Question 11

What is the maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 11

What is believed to be essential for mental health is that the infant and child should experience a warm, intimate and conscious relationship with his mother in which both find satisfaction and enjoyment (Bowlby)

Question 12

What influenced the MD hypothesis?

Answer 12

Needs of orphans after WW2
Institutions focused on physical, not emotional needs

Question 13

What did Goldfarb (1947) look at?

Answer 13

30 children separated from mothers <9mo. 15 fostered <9mo and other half at 3.5yrs (or institutionalised). Assessed at 10-14yrs.
Institutionalised children had deficits in intelligence, speech, reading and maths. Restless, low concentration, fearful, craved adult attention

Question 14

What did Harlow (1958, 69) look at in his study of rhesus monkeys?

Answer 14

3 groups separated form mother - raised in isolation for 3, 6 or 12 months, then placed with monkeys. All 3 groups showed social maladjustment, aggression and withdrawal. If isolated <3mo can recover, if not irreversible effects. Unable to mate in adolescence and abused babies

Question 15

How are confounding factors against the MD hypothesis?

Answer 15

Institutional care studies and primate studies confounded MD with social and sensory deprivation
Care institutions have high staff turnover - no attachment
MD resulting from institutionalisation/ divorce/ separation - childhood problems may result instead from hostility

Question 16

Deficits can be reversed - how does this go against MD hypothesis?

Answer 16

Suomi & Harlow (1972) deficits in monkeys raised in isolation for 6/12 months can be reversed if younger monkey placed with them
Effects of MD not irreversible
Peer relationships can be as important as mothers

Question 17

Deficits don’t always occur - how does this go against MD hypothesis?

Answer 17

Many children are maternally deprived but don’t later chit cognitive deficits or social maladjustment

Question 18

What is monotropism, as advocated by Bowlbys theory?

Answer 18

Infants are genetically predisposed to form an attachment to one person
Infants are initially incapable of forming attachments to several people
All later attachments minor compared to primary one
Childcare inviting multiple caregivers is potentially detrimental

Question 19

What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) look at when string attachment in 60 infants in first 8 months?

Answer 19

At onset - 1/3 direct attachment to several individuals and 1/3 direct attachment to someone other than mother
At 18months - most attached to several individuals, mother not always primary figure

Question 20

What is the critical period?

Answer 20

Attachment can’t be formed after 2.5yrs
Id attachments are prevented before 2.5yrs, child will inevitably develop an affectation less character

Question 21

What did Tiguard (1977) look at in his study of children adopted later than 2.5?

Answer 21

Child institutionalised few weeks after birth and cared for by large group. Ability to form relationship assessed at 8 and 16. Found most relationships good and developed strong emotional bond with foster parents

Question 22

What is the evaluation of Bowlby?

Answer 22

Comprehensive, bio motivated theory
Prompted research into early relationships
Improved understanding of child’s emotional needs
Led to improvements in institutional care
Several components of theory not supported by evidence
Mistaken beliefs had adverse effects on mothers/ caregivers

Question 23

What are the stages in SST (Ainsworth, 1978)

Answer 23

Mother + child - c explores, m watch
Child + mother + stranger - s arrives talks to M, plays with c
Child + stranger - m leaves, s plays with c
Child + mother - M returns comforts c, s leaves
Child - m leaves, c alone
Child + stranger - s tries to comfort c
Child + mother - m comforts c

Question 24

How many attachment types did Ainsworth find?

Answer 24

4

Question 25

What are the characteristics of secure attachment (B)?

Answer 25

Actively maintain proximity with M at reunion
Distress due to absence during serration from M
Secure most common - healthiest attachment

Question 26

What are the characteristics of insecure avoidant (A)?

Answer 26

Avoids proximity/ interaction with M at reunion
No distress when separated from M

Question 27

What are the characteristics of insecure-resistant (C)?

Answer 27

Clings to mother rather than exploring and separation prudes lot of distress
Resist contact and interaction at reunion - mix of seeking contact and resistance

Question 28

What are the characteristics of insecure-disorganised (D)?

Answer 28

Disoriented and disorganised - no clear pattern
No coherent systems for coping with separation at reunion

Question 29

What are some criticisms for the SST?

Answer 29

Artificial situation
Confounding psychological factors
Choice of attachment figure
Is it relevant to all cultures - no

Question 30

What is attachment beyond infancy?

Answer 30

Concept of attachment expand from infancy to lifespan
As child matures, attachment becomes sophisticated
Depends more on abstract concepts (trust)

Question 31

What is Bowlbys internal working model (IWM)?

Answer 31

Individuals form IWm of attachment relationship
Cog constructs form when child capable of symbolic thought
Represent memories and feelings about attachment figure
Provide expectation about relationships
Guides behaviour toward attachment figure

Question 32

What are some long-term implications of non-secure attachment?

Answer 32

Poorer social skills and adjustment,m hostile, impulsive and withdrawn (Erickson et al, 1985)
Securely attached child remonstrated less negative reactions to periods of high family stress (Pianta et al 1990)

Question 33

What were the characterises for the adult attachment interview from Main & Goldwyn 1982?

Answer 33

Autonomous
Dismissive
Enmeshed
Unresolved

Question 34

What did Booth-Laforce & Roisman (2014) find when looking at attachment stability over time in 815 ppts?

Answer 34

Assessed in infancy & 18. Secure at 15mo = 61% autonomous in adulthood
Insecure at 15mo = 57% autonomous in adulthood
39% secure infants not secure adults
Predicted fail gender, lower and greater decline in maternal sensitivity, lower likelihood of living with father and greater increase in neg life events