Lecture 1 - Introduction Flashcards Preview

Development of Attachment Behaviour > Lecture 1 - Introduction > Flashcards

Flashcards in Lecture 1 - Introduction Deck (30)
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1
Q

How did Ainsworth (1969) define attachment?

A

A strong, relatively enduring emotional bond that one forms with a unique individual.

2
Q

Who defined attachment as follows ‘A strong, relatively enduring emotional bond that one forms with a unique individual’?

A

Ainsworth (1969)

3
Q

How many attachment relationships does one form?

A

3-7

4
Q

Define shyness

A

Slow or inhibited approach and/or discomfort in social situations involving novelty or uncertainty.

5
Q

Define temperament.

A

An individual’s typical mode of response including activity level, emotional intensity and attention span.

6
Q

What key word does the following definition refer to:

An individual’s typical mode of response including activity level, emotional intensity and attention span.

A

Temperament

7
Q

What were the heritability values found in a twin study by Robinson et al., (1992) and what trait were they measuring for?

A

Heritability of shyness:

.35 - .71 at 14 months

.22 - .62 at 20 months

Suggests definite influence of genes, but also a growing influence of environment with age.

8
Q

What does cross-cultural research by Chen et al., (1998) show?

A

Chinese parents are more likely to encourage shyness in children, and view it as positive, whereas Canadian parents view it more negatively.

These attitudes towards inhibition shaped parenting methods & punishment when inhibitive behaviour was seen in the children. Culture shapes display of shyness.

9
Q

What does Caspi et al., (2003) show?

A

Children who were inhibitive as a child (3 years) showed more specific traits at follow up (23 years), compared to other non-inhibited groups:

  • Avoidance of physically dangerous experiences
  • Preference for others to lead & not be centre of attention
  • Least extraverted

Shy children therefore do tend to become shy adults - suggests development is continuous.

10
Q

What is Multifinality?

A

The divergence of developmental paths in which two individuals start out similarly but end at very different points.

11
Q

What is equifinality?

A

The convergence of developmental paths in which children follow very different paths to reach the same developmental end point.

12
Q

What is imprinting, and who developed the theory of imprinting?

A

Lorenz (1952) demonstrated that newborn ducklings attempt to form attachments to the first object they saw during a brief, critical period after birth.

13
Q

What are the phases of early development of attachment, and which study devised this?

A

Schaffer, (1996):

  1. Pre-attachment
  2. Attachment in the making
  3. Clear-cut attachment
  4. Goal corrected partnership
14
Q

What was the age and description of pre-attachment, according to Schaffer (1996)?

A

0-2 months

Indiscriminate social responsiveness

15
Q

What was the age and description of attachment in the making, according to Schaffer (1996)?

A

2-7 months

Recognition of familiar people

16
Q

What was the age and description of clear-cut attachment, according to Schaffer (1996)?

A

7-24 months

Separation protest, wariness of strangers, intentional communication.

17
Q

What was the age and description of goal-corrected partnership, according to Schaffer (1996)?

A

24 months +

Relationship is more two sided, children understand parents’ needs.

18
Q

What are the 4 main theories of why attachment occurs?

A

Freud (psychoanalytic) – mother is associated with gratification of infants’ instinctual drive to obtain pleasure through oral stimulation.

Learning Theories – mother provides positive reinforcers.

Cognitive Developmental (Piaget) – E.g. Object permanence, which helps explain change in attachment behaviours over time.

Bowlby’s Ethological Theory - infants seek to form attachments because it aids their survival and positive development (evolutionary)

19
Q

What percentage of infants have formed attachments with their mother in their first year of life, and which study found this?

A

93%, according to Schaffer and Emerson, (1964).

20
Q

What percentage of infants have formed attachments only with their mother at 18 months, and which study found this?

A

5%, (Schaffer and Emerson, 1964).

21
Q

Why are multiple attachments a goal for infants?

A

Evolutionary reasons - the more attachments formed, the more likely they are to have a caregiver around to ensure survival/secure base - increases exploratory behaviours.

22
Q

The father attaches to the child for what reasons?

A

The father is often the playmate in early years, and improves social development in the child by playing in physically arousing and unusual games (Parke, 2002).

23
Q

Define secure attachment and cite it.

A

An attachment where the infant is confident about the parent’s availability, responsiveness and reliability to serve as a secure base (Waters et al., 2002).

24
Q

In Ainsworth’s (1969) original sample, what percentage of infants displayed secure attachments?

A

Of the white, middle class Baltimore infants studied, 60-65% displayed a secure attachment.

25
Q

What percentage of infants in Ainsworth’s (1969) original strange situations procedure displayed insecure-avoidant attachments?

A

20%.

26
Q

What percentage of infants in Ainsworth’s (1969) original strange situations procedure displayed insecure-ambivalent attachments?

A

10-15%

27
Q

How do infants with a secure attachment react at reunion with parents?

A

1 year: Child seeks physical contact, proximity and interactions. Readily soothed and returns to play.

28
Q

How do infants with an insecure-avoidant attachment react at reunion with parents?

A

Child activity ignores and avoids parent, looking away and remaining occupied with toys.

29
Q

How do infants with an insecure-ambivalent attachment react at reunion with parents?

A

Infants seem to want closeness and contact, but parents are unable to effectively alleviate child’s distress.

30
Q

How do infants with an insecure-disorganised attachment react at reunion with parents?

A

Child shows conflicting behaviour such as crying for their parent at the door, and then running away once the parent returns.