Attachment
Close + enduring emotional bond to parents or other primary caregivers
Attachment theory
Bolwby
Children are biologically predisposed to develop attachments to caregivers as a means of increasing the chances of their own survival
Secure base
Refers to the idea that
a) the presence of a trusted caregiver provides the infant with a sense of security that allows the cild to explore the environment
b) caregiver serves a s a haven of safety when the infant feels threatened or insecure
The 4 Phases of the initial development of attachment
Bowlby
- PREATTACHMENT
–> infant produces innate signals to summon the caregiver, to be comforted
- ATTACHMENT IN THE MAKING
- -> infants respond preferentially to familiar people
- -> have expectations on how caregivers respond to their needs
- CLEAR CUT ATTACHMENT
–> actively seek contact with caregivers
- RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP
–> infants are able to organize their efforts to be near parents, due to cognitive + language abilities
Internal working model of attachment
Mental representation of
a) the self
b) attachment figures
c) relationships in general
–> outcome of the 4 phases of the initial development of attachment
Strange situation (Ainsworth)
Procedure to asses an infants attachment to their primary caregiver
Which key measures provide insight into the quality of an infants attachment to the caregiver ?
- The extent to which an infant is able to use his/her primary caregiver as a secure base
- How the infant reacts to brief separations from the caregiver
Secure attachment
Infants have a high quality relationship with their attachment figure
- -> Tend to be upset when caregiver leaves, but happy when caregiver returns
- -> recovers quickly from distress
=> mothers are much more responsive + sensitive
Insecure attachment
Infants have a less positive attachment to their caregiver
–> can be classified as
a) insecure/ resistant
b) insecure/ avoidant
c) disorganized/ disorientated
Insecure/ Resistant attachment
Infants are clingy and stay close to their caregiver rather than exploring their environment
–> get upset when caregiver leaves, not easily comforted when he returns
–> seeks comfort but resists it too
Insecure/ Avoidant attachment
Infants are indifferent toward their caregivers and may even avoid them
- -> indifferent when caregivers leave and return
- -> are as easily comforted by a stranger as by a parent
Disorganized/ Disoriented attachment
Infants have no consistent way of coping with stress
–> behavior is contradictory and confused
ex.: in strange situation they want to approach the mother but are also rather fearful of her
Cultural variations in attachment
asian vs american culture
Cultural variations result from:
a) different WAYS of RAISING children
ex. : Japanese mothers foster a greater mother- child closeness + intimacy and greater dependency on mother
b) different experiences with SEPARATION
ex. : Japanese children in 80s didn’t necessarily enroll in daycare
Parental sensitivity
The ability to perceive + interpret childrens attachment signals correctly ant to respond to these signals promptly and adequately
–> differences here will lead to individual differences in attachment relationships
Differential susceptibility
Suggests that certain genes result in children being differentially susceptible to the quality of their rearing environment
Which long term effects does a secure attachment have ?
Securely attached infants will
- be better adjusted + more socially skilled
- develop positive internal working models of attachment
- be able to express emotions in an appropriate way +
better understand others emotions - have closer/ harmonious romantic relationships and with peers
Which long therm effects does an insecure attachment have ?
Insecurely attached infants will
- Inhibit emotional expressiveness
- Avoid + decline comfort from other people
- be prone to aggressive behavior
Self
A conceptional system made up of ones thoughts and attitudes about oneself
- -> physical being
- -> social characteristics
Why is the development of the self of importance ?
Because the individuals self conceptions including the ways they feel about themselves appear to influence their overall feelings of well being + competence
Which factors influence identity formation ?
- Secure attachment
- -> individuals who experience support + warmth from parents form more mature identities - Historical context
- -> Poorer individuals have fewer career options
Self esteem
Ones overall evaluation of the self and the feeling engendered by that evaluation
–> related to how satisfied people are with themselves
–> its development stems from an interaction of nature + nurture + attachment styles
3 Phases of breaking the bond with parents
- Protest
- Despair
- -> parents fall into passivity - Detachment
- -> ready to interact with other caregivers
4 Parenting Styles
- Authoritative
- Negligent
- Authoritarian
- Permissive/Indulgent
Adult attachment interview
Open ended questions about attachment, separation + loss during childhood + adulthood
Insecure dismissive adults
Insist in not remembering attachment related interactions but appear to have had a positive experience
–> contradict themselves when retelling stories + are unaware of their inconsistencies
Autonomous/ Secure adults
Describe past in a balanced manner (negative + negative events)
- -> tend to be positive + warm
- -> less angry + intrusive
Insecure/ Preoccupied adults
Tend to give confused + angry accounts of attachment related events
- -> intensive focused on parents
- -> seem to be caught up in attachment memories
Unresolved/ disorganized adults
Still struggling with loss or trauma
–> striking lapses in reasoning
Authoritative Parents
Are responsive to the child’s emotional needs while having high standards
–> set limits and are very consistent in enforcing boundaries.
Negligent Parents
Parents focus on their own rather than their childrens needs
- -> fail to monitor childs activity
- -> try to minimize costs of interaction with the child
Permissive/Indulgent Parents
Parents exercise inconsistent discipline + encourage children to express their impulses freely
–> children show impulsive/aggressive behavior + are uncompliant
Authoritarian Parents
Parents are power assertive, harsh + unresponsive to their childrens needs
–> children tend to be more fearful
