Lecture 7: Infant Attachment Flashcards
How is infant attachment related to brain development?
- At birth, only the brain stem is developed.
- The brain grows quickly and is malleable during the first 3 years of life
- early experience impacts the developing brain
- quality of relationship between child and primary care giver is very important for brain development
What do early attachment experiences shape?
they shape our views of ourselves, others and the world
what are the four attachment patterns in childhood?
- secure
- insecure avoidant
- insecure ambivalent
- disorganised
what are the adult hood equivalents of the attachment patterns?
- secure = secure autonomous
- insecure avoidant = dismissive
- insecure ambivalent = preoccupied
- disorganised = unresolved
what type of attachment do secure autonomous adults experience during childhood?
secure attachment
what are the traits of secure autonomous adults?
- communicate about relationships in a coherent and emotionally open and vivid way
- comfortable being emotionally close with people
- relaxed about seeking help
- able to provide support and comfort
- positive impact on health and well-being
- able to negotiate conflict
what is earned secure attachment?
describes individuals who have not had a secure child but achieve secure autonomous attachment in adulthood
what are the traits of earned secure attachment adults?
- able to reflect on childhood experience
- provide a coherent account
- have reworked internal working models through positive relationship experiences
- are able to negotiate conflict
what things did dismissing adults experience during childhood?
insecure avoidant attachment style
- uncertain about self worth
- adults were unavailable/rejecting
- world is dangerous and can only rely on self
what traits do dismissing adults have?
- self reliant and need to be in control
- cognitive development is enhanced
- emotional development is inhibited
- task focused
- do not trust or value relationships
- uncomfortable with displays of emotion
- worries that they are making emotional demands that will result in rejection
- best way to protect self is to be self reliant
- tight, tense strategy that comes at considerable cost
- desire closeness but is difficult to lower defences
- maintain distance or become irritable when intimacy, need and dependence become too involved
what things did preoccupied adults experience during childhood?
- uncertain about self worth
- adults are unreliable/intrusive
- world is scary place, amplify emotion and clingy behaviour to keep adults close
what traits do preoccupied adults have?
- seek close relationships
- cognitive development is inhibited
- emotional is amplified
- focus on others distress
- exists is state of self doubt and anxiety
- feels dissatisfied and deprived of love and attention
- uncertain about being lovable, worthiness and effectiveness of self
- intensity, anger and desperation in relationships
what things did unresolved adults experience during childhood?
- traumatic/neglectful childhood
- low self esteem
- unable to trust others
- world is dangerous and chaotic place
what traits do unresolved adults have?
- life dominated by unresolved trauma which overwhelms coping mechanisms
- vulnerable to substance abuse
- pursue intimacy and closeness (aggressively or seductively)
- relationship problems/unstable relationships
- unpredictable, disorienting and exhausting to be on receiving end
- impact on physical and mental health
how are secure autonomous adults likely to deal with stress and distress?
- more likely to recognise stress/distress and seek help
- can articulate concerns
- able to reflect and take responsibility
- have realistic expectations of others
- engage in constructive problem-solving
how are dismissing adults likely to deal with stress and distress?
- not likely to acknowledge stress
- prone to anger outbursts
- strive to stay in control and blame others
- resist help
- in workplace, it is important that managers/team leaders work alongside them and acknowledge their contribution to create a safe space to address issues
how are preoccupied adults likely to deal with stress and distress?
- likely to exhibit distress and become overwhelmed by emotional responses
- may not provide and coherent account and become very confusing
- complains, but resists change and displays a pattern where stress/distress reemerges
- demanding of others in personal and work life
- emotions need to be contained and clear boundaries are needed
how are unresolved adults likely to deal with stress and distress?
- phases of crises (sometimes able to present well when not in crisis)
- no consistent coping mechanisms
- self medication in times of crisis
- difficult to focus in work situations
- reliant in others to solve problems or resists help
- find it difficult to sustain change
- trust is very important for addressing issues
