Types Of Attachment Pt.2: Session 13 Flashcards
(18 cards)
Who looked at the father role in attachment?
- Field
- Grossman
- Bowlbly
What did Bowlby argue?
- Fathers can fill role similar to mothers role but it’s uncommon in most cultures
- Families with young children have different roles for fathers
- Fathers engage more in play & activites
What did Field argue?
- Researched behaviour of primary caretaker mother & primary and secondary caretaker father
- Face to face interactions analysed with infants 4months old
- Fathers engage more is game playing & hold children less
What did Grossman argue?
- Studied 44 families & compared role of fathers & mothers contribution to child’s attachment at ages 6,10,16
- Fathers play style linked to own working model of attachment
- Play sensitivity was better predictor of child’s long term attachment representation
Who conducted the Strange Situation experiment?
Ainsworth 1978
What was Ainsworth’s aim?
To investigate types of attachment between infants & their caregiver
What was Ainsworth’s method?
- 12-18 month infants observed through one way mirror
- Involves 8 episodes
- Measures infants behaviour
What were the 8 episodes?
- Mother, infant, observer 30s
- Mother, infant 3min
- Stranger, mother infant 3min
- Stranger, infant 3min
- Mother, infant 3min
- Infant 3min
- Stranger, infant 3min
- Mother, infant 3min
Describe the first 4 episodes
- Observer introduces mother & infant to experimental room, then leaves
- Mother is nonparticipant while baby explores, if necessary play is stimulated after 2min
- Stranger enters. 1min silent, 2min stranger talks with mother, 3 min stranger approach’s baby & mum leaves
- First separation episode, stranger behaviour gears to babies
Describe the second 4 episodes
- First reunion episode, mother greets & comforts baby then settles baby into play and waves bye & leaves
- Second separation episode
- Continuation of separation, stranger enters & gears behaviour to babies
- Second reunion episode, mother enters & greets baby, stranger leaves
What did Ainsworth conclude?
- Attachment style is influenced by caregiver sensitivity
- Secure attachment leads to better social & emotional development
What are positive evaluations of Ainsworth’s study?
- Reliable: standardised & controlled
- Applicable: real life applications e.g mothers returning to work, children in day care
What are negative evaluations of Ainsworth’s study?
- Lacks ecological validity’s: artificial environment
- Culturally biased: based on American norms
- Ethical concerns: distress caused to babies
What would separation anxiety have been like for secure, resistant & avoidant babies?
- Secure: distressed when mother leaves
- Resistant: Intense distress when mother leaves
- Avoidant: no sign of distress when mother leaves
What would stranger anxiety have been like for secure, resistant & avoidant babies?
- Secure: avoidant of stranger when alone but friendly when with mother
- Resistant: avoids & shows fear of stranger
- Avoidant: okay with stranger and plays normally
What would reunion behaviour have been like for secure, resistant & avoidant babies?
- Secure: positive and happy when mother returns
- Resistant: approach’s mother but resists contact and may push her away
- Avoidant: shows little interest
Key points on secure, resistant & avoidant babies
- 70% secure, use mother as safe base to explore
- 15% resistant, infant cries more & explores less that others
- 15% avoidant, mother & stranger provide comfort equally well
What are factors influencing secure & insecure attachment?
- Maternal sensitivity
- Emotional availability
- Temperamental: irritable infants require more patience & nurturing
