Lecture 17

Question 1

How to measure attachment (Hazen & Shaver)

Answer 1

Questionnaire with only 3 options.

Is about your current or most recent relationship

60% secure

25% avoidant

15% Dependent

Question 2

Attachment style is

Answer 2

important for getting to know someone, especially for a romantic relationship

Question 3

Relations to big 5 (meta analysis) Shaver

Answer 3

Secure show low N, High E (esp SD) and High A

Anxious: Very high N

Avoidant: Low E, Low A

About a 0.2-3 correlation

When controlling for big 5, attachment styles predict relationship outcome better than big 5

Question 4

Bowlby, why attachment

Answer 4

Evolution

Important to protect babies

Emotional regulation (might be more important now)

Question 5

Does everyone attach?

Answer 5

No. And those who do not (even insecurely) are developmentally challenged like severe autism

Question 6

Pattern of attachment

Answer 6

Orientate to sounds

Then to faces

Then preferably to parents

Question 7

Anecdote Prof and sophie

Answer 7

Sophie attached well to Sophie’s mom even though she cant breast feed

Prof changed diapers

Question 8

Strange situation

Answer 8

65% secure

Insecure:

20% avoidant
15% anxious-Ambivalent

Question 9

D children

Answer 9

Disorganized attachment

1%

Abuse

Question 10

Worst outcomes?

Answer 10

No or D attachments

Question 11

What behaviors influence attachment and what are the benefits of attachment?

Answer 11

Secure attachment moms are

consistent
sensitive
responsive
attentive
not interfering or controlling

At 3 months how do mothers

respond to crying
affection with holding
enter room
feed

babies?

Secure attachment as influenced by above gives:

Question 12

What developmental outcomes are associated with attachment?

Answer 12

Exploration
Task Mastery
Emotional Adaptation
Social Adaptation

Question 13

Anecdote: Sophie and Minnie

Answer 13

Sophie was scared of the dog Minnie
Kept going back to dad as a safe base
Then explored dog again

Later:
Very comfortable with Minnie so got over it
Minnie was uncomfortable at first too. Kept a chew toy/doll as a transitional attachment object (teddy bears can be this)

Question 14

Social functioning at age 5 and attachment

Answer 14

Social competence
Popularity
Social participation
Attention
Social dominance

Were all better in attached kids than in insecure attached kids

Question 15

Twins and attachement

Answer 15

In strange situation DZ and MZ show no difference. Attachment is behavioral not genetic

Question 16

Do early attachments influence later ones?

Answer 16

(1) Hazen & Shaver 1987
Very close match between the percentage of kids secure/anxious/avoidant as kids and the percentage as adults

(2)Simpson et al, 2007

Measured Infant attachment

Peer competence in teacher report grades 1,2 and 3

Age 16 interview about security in close friendships

Age 23 assess:
Emotional tone of relationship
Observation during conflict resolution
Observation during collaborative task

Secure kids are popular at 5, have a best friend at teenage and a romantic partner at 22-23

Conclusions:

Infant attachment had a .36 correlation with peer competence

peer competence had a .38 correlation with security at age 16

Security at age 16 had a .43 correlation to positive assessment at age 23

was a .2 direct correlation between infant attachment and assessment at 23

Our experiences in adult relationships appear to be tied in significant ways top experiences rooted in earlier relationships and stages of development

But the strongest and most direct impact on the next stage.

Question 17

Minnesota longitudenal study and attachment

Answer 17

271 firs time poor moms

170 kids followed 32 years
48% teens, 65% single, 42% no HS education
(high risk group)

Infant assessment of attachment at 12 and 18 months

big 5 traits at 32

Controlled for education level of mom

Found 45% secure attachment, lower than normal

At 32 correlations show significant relationships between secure attachment and high A and C and low N

Question 18

How stable are measurements of adult attachment?

Answer 18

Over time .3

Across partners .4 (so partner selection makes a difference)

Secures pair with secures more than chance

More likely for secure people to have secure kids