reciprocity
when a caregiver and baby respond to each others signals
interactional synchrony
when a caregiver and baby carry out the same behaviour simultaneously (mirroring each other)
4 stages of attachment
stage 1: asocial
stage 2: indiscriminate attachment
stage 3: specific attachment
stage 4: multiple attachment
asocial stage
- age: first few weeks
- behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects are fairly similar although happier in presence of humans
indiscriminate attachment stage
- age: 2 to 7 months
- recognise and prefer familiar adults but does not show stranger or separation anxiety
specific attachment stage
- age: around 7 months
- special preference for primary attachment figure (person who offers most interaction) and shows fear of strangers and separation anxiety
multiple attachment stage
- age: 10 months to 1 year
- forms multiple secondary attachments which are people who responds most sensitively to baby’s signals
learning theory of attachments
argues that babies learn to become attached to their caregivers mainly because they provide milk/food
Bowlby’s monotropic theory key points
- attachments are innate
- monotropy
- social releasers
- critical period
- internal working model
monotropy
special importance formed with the person who responds most sensitively to the infants’ needs (usually the mother)
social releasers
smiling, cooing, crying to provoke sympathetic/ caring reactions from their caregiver strengthening the attachment
critical period
special attachment must be formed within the first 2-3 years of life otherwise an attachment is less likely to occur
internal working model
babies attachment to their caregiver provide a template for future relationships
the strange situation
developed by Ainsworth to observe infants’ behaviour between 9-18 months including use of mother as a safe base, stranger and separation anxiety etc.
secure attachment
- happy to explore using mother as a safe base
- moderate separation and stranger anxiety
- happy to be reunited and easily comforted
insecure-avoidant attachment
- explores freely not using mother as a safe base
- low separation and stranger anxiety
- little reaction on reunion
insecure-resistant attachment
- low willingness to explore and very clingy
- high separation and stranger anxiety
- hard to comfort upon reunion
maternal deprivation
argues the lack of a mother figure or prolonged separation from their main caregiver during the critical period leads to long term emotional, social and cognitive harm
2 main effects of maternal deprivation
- low IQ
- signs of affectionless psychopathy
(permanent and irreversible)
affectionless psychopathy
the inability to show affection for others
institutionalisation
when a child is raised outside of a family home such as in an orphanage or children’s home where they don’t have the opportunity to form a secure attachment
6 effects of institutionalisation
- low IQ
- delayed physical development from high levels of stress
- emotional difficulties such as tantrums
- impaired language (spoken and written)
- quasi autism (social difficulties and repetitive behaviours)
- disinhibited attachment
disinhibited attachment
when children are clingy, attention-seeking and equally friendly towards strangers and familiar people due to growing up in an institution
