4.1.3 Attachment Flashcards

Question

Describe specific attachment

Answer 1

From 7-9 months Display signs of attachment for one preferred person, usually their primary caregiver . This includes anxiety when separated from the attachment figure and anxiety directed towards strangers, particularly when their attachment figure is absent. This person is known as their ‘primary attachment figure’.

Answer 2

Attachments to two or more people

Answer 3

From 9-12 months Once babies develop strong attachment to their primary attachment figure, they begin to extend this behaviour to others to form multiple attachments with people they regularly spend time with. These relationships are called secondary attachments.

Answer 4

Infants’ emotional dependence on a caregiver is not related to filling physiological needs, but to responsiveness. This means attachments were more likely to form with those who responded accurately to the baby’s signals and not just who they spend the most time with (shows importance of sensitive responsiveness).

Answer 5

In attachment research, the father is anyone who takes on the role of the main male caregiver, which can be but is not necessarily the biological father.

Answer 6

Whether babies attach to fathers, and if so, when, and also how important the role of the father is in the child’s development.

Answer 7

Suggested that infants usually attach to their mother first (as the primary attachment figure). In only 3% of cases was the father the first attachment figure, compared to the majority of mothers. Fathers are mainly secondary attachment figures, with 75% of babies having an attachment to their fathers at 18 moths of age. This suggests babies do form attachments to their fathers, but their attachment with the mother comes first.

Answer 8

That fathers have an important, yet different, role to mothers. He carried out a longitudinal study looking at parents behaviour and its relationship to the quality of children’s attachments into their teens. Quality of a baby’s attachment to their mothers, but not to their fathers, was related to children’s attachments in adolescence, which suggests the father is less important. However, the quality of fathers play with infants was related to children’s attachments in adolescence, which suggests that fathers have a different role in attachment, more to do with play and stimulation rather than nurturing.

Answer 9

That fathers are able to adopt the emotional role usually taken on by mothers when they are the primary caregiver. Primary caregiver fathers spent the same amount of time as mothers smiling, imitating and holding infants, and more than secondary caregiver fathers. These are examples of reciprocity and interactional synchrony, which are part of the process of attachment formation. This shows that fathers do have the potential to be the more emotional-focused primary attachment figure, and can provide the responsiveness needed for a close emotional attachment but perhaps only express this when given the role of primary caregiver.

Answer 10

That children often prefer interacting with fathers when in a positive emotional state and seeking stimulation, while mothers are preferred when children are distressed and seeking comfort. This means the role of the father is different to that of the mother.

Answer 11

Studies carried out on non-human animal species rather than on humans, usually for ethical or practical reasons.

Answer 12

The formation of early attachments between non-human parents and their offspring, to improve understanding about how similar attachments may form in humans.

Answer 13

Imprinting in geese He discovered that goslings imprint on the first thing they see when they hatch and follow it around.

Answer 14

An innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother which takes place during a specific time in development (usually during the first few hours after birth or hatching). It is an important survival mechanism as animals need to follow their mother in order to survive.

Answer 15

He randomly divided a clutch of goos eggs into two batches. One batch was left with the mother to hatch (control group), and half were hatched in an incubator with Lorenz being the first person they saw (experimental group). The behaviour of the goslings after birth was observed.

Answer 16

The control group goslings followed their mother everywhere, whereas the experimental group goslings followed Lorenz everywhere. When the two groups were mixed up, the control group continued to follow the mother and the experimental group followed Lorenz.

Answer 17

Imprinting is irreversible, shown by the fact that the groups continued to follow the thing they had imprinted on even after groups were mixed. Imprinting is long-lasting, as the goslings continued to follow Lorenz for a very long period of time after they hatched. There is a critical period of 4-25 hours after hatching in which imprinting needs to occur, and if this does not occur, then the infant may not be able to form attachments.

Answer 18

That imprinting has an impact on mate preference. He noticed that birds who imprinted on humans would often later display courtship behaviour towards humans. He also described a peacock that had imprinted on a giant tortoise, and as an adult would only direct courtship behaviour towards giant tortoises. He concluded that this meant they were undergoing sexual imprinting.

Answer 19

What the basic needs of infants are, particularly whether the need for contact confront with something soft is stronger than the primary biological need for feeding.

Answer 20

16 Rhesus monkeys were separated from their mothers a few hours after birth. Each monkey was placed in a cage with both a cloth ‘mother’, and a wire ‘mother’. Milk was provided to half of the monkeys from the wire mother, and half from the cloth mother. Time spent with each mother, reactions to frightening events, and behaviour in later life was observed and recorded.

Answer 21

All of the monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother, whether or not they were provided milk by this mother. When frightened, the monkeys clung tightly onto the cloth mother for comfort. In adulthood, monkeys in both conditions showed consequences of maternal deprivation- aggression, inability to form normal relationships, and neglect to their own offspring.

Answer 22

Contact comfort is more important to the monkeys than food when it came to developing an attachment, which contradicts the learning theory of attachment (that attachments form when infants associate caregivers with food). However, contact comfort alone is not sufficient for normal development, as monkeys in both condtions were affected in later life by maternal deprivation. Harlow concluded that there is a critical period for attachment formation, that a mother must be introduced to a monkey within 90 days for an attachment to form. After this time, attachment was impossible and the damage done by early deprivation became irreversible.

Answer 23

The consequences of separation between a child and their mother.

Answer 24

Learning theory Monotropic theory

Answer 25

Dollard and Miller

Answer 26

The view that attachments develop through classical and operant conditioning, because children learn to become attached to the caregiver because they give them food.

Answer 27

The behaviourist approach

Answer 28

The role of the attachment figure as a provider of food being the main reason why the child forms an attachment with them (children learn to love whoever feeds them).

Answer 29

Learning can be due to associations being made between different stimuli (classical conditioning) or behaviour can be altered by patterns of reinforcement and punishment (operant conditioning).

Answer 30

Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one and the same way that we already respond to the other.

Answer 31

For the child, food is an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response of pleasure. Initially, the caregiver is a neutral stimulus who produces no response. However, because the caregiver is continually paired with the food (unconditioned stimulus), the caregiver becomes associated with it, until eventually the caregiver alone can produce pleasure. The caregiver has become a conditioned stimulus and the pleasure they bring is a conditioned response. The conditioned pleasure response is seen as love, and so an attachment has formed between caregiver and infant.

Answer 32

Learning from the consequences of behaviour. If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, then it is reinforced and is likely to be repeated again. If a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence, it has been punished and is less likely to be repeated again.

Answer 33

A hungry infant feels uncomfortable so is driven to reduce their discomfort of feeling hungry. They do this by crying. When fed by their caregiver, the infant feels pleasure (positive reinforcement). The food acts as a primary reinforcer as it directly satisfies the primary drive of hunger. The caregiver acts as a secondary reinforcer as they are associated with the primary reinforcer of food. This means attachment is a secondary drive. This is a two way process also. The caregiver feels uncomfortable when they hear the child crying and are driven to reduce the noise. They do this by feeding the child. The child will stop crying, meaning the caregiver experiences negative reinforcement due to the removal of the crying. This encourages the caregiver to continue feeding the child when they cry. The interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment.

Answer 34

An innate, biological motivator eg. Hunger

Answer 35

A drive learned through its association with a primary drive eg. Association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of the primary drive of hunger by being fed

Answer 36

That attachments of infants to their carers is as a result of evolution- attachment is an innate system that is adaptive to infants as it gives us a survival advantage.

Answer 37

Because the human infant is extremely helpless at birth and could not survive without adult care. Behaviours which lead to the infant staying close to the mother mean that the baby is protected, and so more likely to survive.

Answer 38

That an infant forms one attachment which is different from all others and is of central importance to the child’s development. (This can be with anyone who has established a close relationship with the child).

Answer 39

This one attachment forms the basis of the internal working model. It underlies the ability to experience deep feelings.

Answer 40

The law of continuity The law of accumulated separation

Answer 41

States that the more constant and predictable a child’s care is the better the quality of their attachment.

Answer 42

States that the effects of every separation from the mother add up and so it is better to have no separations.

Answer 43

Infants are born with innate social releasers (signals) that cause adult social interaction. This includes crying, smiling, laughing etc. (any behaviour that elicits caregiving) They build the attachment bond between caregiver and baby.

Answer 44

Bowlby claimed originally that if attachment didn’t take place before the age of one then it would not happened, and was best to happen at around 6 months when the child is maximally sensitive to attachment, and that this was biologically determined.

Answer 45

He amended his theory and the idea of a critical period became a sensitive period of up to 2 years of age. (Because other psychologists research showed that bonding can occur after the age of one).

Answer 46

The mental representation of the child’s relationship with their primary attachment figure, that sets the pattern for future relationships and serves as a template for what relationships are and should be like.

Answer 47

The idea that there is an association between early and later patterns of attachment.

Answer 48

The internal working model affects the child’s later ability to parent their own children. This is because people tend to base their parenting behaviours on their own experiences of being parented. This explains why children from functional families tend to have similar families themselves.

Answer 49

To assess the quality and type of attachments between a baby and their caregiver by observing key attachment behaviours.

Answer 50

Controlled observation study that took place in a room with controlled conditions- a two-way mirror or cameras through which the psychologists can observe the baby’s behaviour. It involved the baby, their caregiver and a ‘stranger’. They measured attachment security based on 5 key measures. The measures were taken over a 25 minute period, in which the infants were exposed to a sequence of 7 episodes, each lasting 3 minutes.

Answer 51

Separation anxiety Exploration and secure base Proximity seeking Stranger anxiety Reunion behaviour

Answer 52

How the infant reacts to the mother leaving

Answer 53

The infant’s willingness to explore and play with new toys, and use their caregiver as a safe base.

Answer 54

Staying close to the caregiver (clinginess).

Answer 55

The reaction of a child to a stranger.

Answer 56

How the child reacts to the mother’s return.

Answer 57

First, the infant and the mother are introduced to the observation room by the researcher. 1. The baby is encouraged to explore 2. A stranger enters and talks to the caregiver 3. The caregiver leaves the infant and the stranger together 4. The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves 5. The caregiver leaves the baby alone 6. The stranger returns 7. The caregiver returns

Answer 58

Exploration and secure-base

Answer 59

Stranger anxiety

Answer 60

Separation and stranger anxiety Exploration

Answer 61

Reunion behaviour and exploration and secure base Proximity

Answer 62

Separation anxiety

Answer 63

Stranger anxiety

Answer 64

Reunion behaviour

Answer 65

Distinct patters in the way that babies behaved were found, and they identified three main types of attachment.

Answer 66

Type A- insecure-avoidant attachment Type B- secure attachment Type C- insecure-resistant attachment

Answer 67

Explore happily but regularly go back to their caregiver (proximity seeking and secure base behaviour). Show moderate separation anxiety and moderate stranger anxiety. Require and accept comfort from their caregiver in the reunion stage.

Answer 68

Explore freely but do not seek proximity or show secure base behaviour. Little to no reaction where their caregiver leaves and little stranger anxiety. Little effort made to make contact with the caregiver when they return, or may avoid such contact.

Answer 69

Seek greater proximity than others and explore less. High levels of stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. Resist comfort when reunited with their caregiver.

Answer 70

That the crucial feature determining the quality of attachment is the mother’s sensitivity- ability to see things from her babies perspective, interpret their signals, responds to its needs and is accepting, cooperative and accessible. The insensitive mother however, would interact almost exclusively in terms of her own wishes, moods and activities. This is called the ‘Sensitivity Hypothesis’.

Answer 71

Van Ijzendorn and Kroonenburg

Answer 72

To assess the proportions of secure, insecure-avoidant and insecure-resistant attachments across a range of cultures to assess cultural variations. They also looked at the differences within the sam countries to get an idea of the variations within a culture.

Answer 73

Child-rearing styles vary across different cultures, which may impact on the proportions of different attachment types in different countries.

Answer 74

Cultural variations are the differences in norms and values that exist between people in different groups.

Answer 75

Culture refers to norms and values that exist within any group of people.

Answer 76

Western cultures are classified as individualistic as they value independence and the importance of the individual.

Answer 77

Collectivist cultures emphasise the importance of the group or collective and can be characterised by the extent to which things are shared- groups live and work together, sharing tasks, belongings and child rearing.

Answer 78

Researchers located 32 studies of attachment where the strange situation had been used to investigate the proportions of babies with different types of attachment. These were conducted in 8 different countries, and 15 were in the USA. This yielded results for 1990 children overall. The data was meta-analysed: combined and analysed together, weighting each study based on its sample size.

Answer 79

There was a wide variation between the proportion of each attachment type in the different studies. In all countries, secure attachment was the most common classification, but the proportion varied from 75% in Britain to 50% in China. In individualistic cultures, rates of insecure-resistant attachment were similar to Ainsworth’s original sample (under 14%), but in collectivist cultures, rates were all above 25%. The rate of insecure-avoidant attachments were reduced in collectivist cultures. They also found that the variations between results of studies within the same country were 150% greater than those between countries.

Answer 80

Found higher levels of insecure attachment amongst German infants than in other cultures. This may be due to different child-rearing practices, as German culture involves keeping some interpersonal space between parents and children. This means infants do not engage in proximity seeking behaviour so appear to be insecure attached.

Answer 81

Conducted a study in Italy to see if proportions of babies of different attachment types matched that of previous studies. 76 babies aged 12 months were assessed. Found that 50% were securely attached and 36% were insecure-avoidant. Lower rate of securely attached babies and higher rate of insecure avoidant. May be due to an increasing number of mothers working long hours and using professional childcare. This shows patterns of attachment are not static and may vary with cultural change.

Answer 82

Conducted a study in Korea to compare the proportion of each attachment type to other studies. Used the strange situation to assess 87 babies. Overall proportion of secure and insecure attachment similar to most other countries. However, more insecure-resistant than avoidant, which is similar to van Ijzendorn’s findings in Japan. This suggests the similarity is due to the similar child-rearing styles used in japan and Korea.

Answer 83

There are some similarities in attachments across cultures, such as the age at which separation anxiety first appears, and the fact that all of the major attachment types A,B and C are observed in each culture, with more babies being classified as secure than insecure- supports Bowlby’s idea that attachment is innate and universal However, there are clear differences in attachments across cultures, so research shows that cultural practices have an impact on attachment type.

Answer 84

Maternal deprivation then monotropic

Answer 85

The consequences of deprivation of continuous maternal care. It focuses on the idea that the continual presence and emotional care from a mother or mother-substitute is essential for normal psychological development of infants.

Answer 86

Separation refers to the child not being in the presence of their primary attachment figure, whereas deprivation is a problem because it involves the child being deprived of emotional care (which can happen even if the mother is present).

Answer 87

Brief separations, when there is a substitute caregiver who can provide emotional care, are not significant for development but extended separations can lead to deprivation, which causes harm according to maternal deprivation hypothesis.

Answer 88

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and their mother or mother-substitute. Continuous care from the mother is essential for normal psychological development, so emotional and intellectual damage is caused when maternal deprivation occurs.

Answer 89

Bowlby saw the first 2.5 years of life as a critical period for psychological development- if the child is separated from their mother in the absence of substitute emotional care and so deprived of emotional care for an extended duration, he believed psychological damage was inevitable.

Answer 90

Bowlby believed maternal deprivation posed a continuing risk up to the age of 5.

Answer 91

Affectionless psychopathy Inability to form relationships or attachments in the future Delinquency Depression Developmental retardation (low IQ)

Answer 92

Inability to feel remorse or guilt, strong emotions towards others, linked with criminality

Answer 93

44 thieves study

Answer 94

To investigate the link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation.

Answer 95

Sample of 44 criminal teenagers who had been accused of stealing and referred to a child guidance clinic. All thieves interviewed by Bowlby for signs of affectionless psychopathy. All families interviewed by Bowlby to establish whether any of them had experienced prolonged early separations from their mothers. Sample compared to a control group of non-criminal but emotionally disturbed young people.

Answer 96

14/44 thieves could be described as affectionless psychopaths. 12/14 of these had experienced prolonged separations from their mothers in the first two years of their lives. Contrasts to the rest of the thieves as only 5/30 remaining had experienced separations.

Answer 97

He concluded that prolonged early separations (maternal deprivation) caused affectionless psychopathy.

Answer 98

A place that is dedicated to a task, such as looking after children awaiting adoption.

Answer 99

A term for the effects of living in an institutional setting for a long and continuous period of time. In attachment research, we are interested in the effects of institutional care on children’s attachment and subsequent development, as there is often little emotional care provided.

Answer 100

Studies that concern children placed in care because their parents cannot look after them.

Answer 101

A child whose parents have either died or abandoned them permanently. They often live in an orphanage.

Answer 102

To study the effects of deprivation on emotional and intellectual development.

Answer 103

Study the effects of institutional care and consequent institutionalisation, and a way of determining the effects of separation and deprivation on emotional and intellectual development.

Answer 104

Romanian dictator tried to boost the population by requiring Romanian parents to have 5 children, and banning abortion. This meant many babies could not be cared for and so were placed in orphanages and very poor conditions. In the Romanian revolution, many were adopted by western families, and some were studied by psychologists to assess the effects of deprivation.

Answer 105

Children spent days alone in cribs with little stimulation, cognitive or emotional They were also malnourished and uncared for Little chance to develop close attachments

Answer 106

Rutter Zeanah

Answer 107

To investigate the progress of Romanian orphans brought to Britain for adoption. To investigate whether good care could make up for early experiences.

Answer 108

Longitudinal study of 165 Romanian orphans adopted in the UK. Most of the orphans adopted before age 2, but all of the orphans were adopted before age 4. Children were assessed on a variety of measures of physical, cognitive and emotional development on arrival in Britain, and then again at age 4, 6, 11, 15 and 22-25. Compared to a control group of British children adopted before the age of 6 months.

Answer 109

On arrival to the UK, half of the Romanian adoptees showed signs of delayed intellectual development and the majority were undernourished. They lagged behind their British counterparts on all measures. By age 4, some of three children had caught up with British counterparts, more specifically almost all of the Romanian orpahasns adopted before the age of 6 months. At age 11, the adopted children showed differential rates of recovery that were related to their age of adoption (those adopted earlier recovered better from their experiences). The mean IQ was higher in those adopted before 6 months at age 11 and 15 than those adopted after 6 months.

Answer 110

There is a difference in outcome related to whether adoption took place before or after 6 months of age. The later the adoption, the more likely they were to show disinhibited attachment. Symptoms include attention-seeking, clinginess and indiscriminate social behaviour to all adults. Those adopted before the age of 6 months rarely showed disinhibited attachments. Those adopted after 6 months also often had problems with peer relationships.

Answer 111

Institutionalisation can have a very damaging effect on children’s cognitive, physical and emotional development. The longer children are institutionalised for, the more damaging the impact this has on their development. Institutionalisation can lead to disinhibited attachment. When adopted, children have better experiences so may cope well. Long term consequences of institutionalisation may be less severe if children have the opportunity to form attachments and receive adequate substitute care.

Answer 112

To assess attachment types in Romanian children who had spent most for their lives in institutional care.

Answer 113

Assessed attachment in 95 children aged between 12-31 months who had spent an average of 90% of their lives in institution. Compared to a control group of 50 children who spent their life in ordinary families. Measured attachment type using the strange situation.

Answer 114

74% of the control group were securely attached, compared to only 19% of the institutionalised group. 44% of the institutionalised group were classified as disinhibited attachment, compared to less than 20% of the control group.

Answer 115

To investigate the long term effects of early institutionalisation.

Answer 116

Longitudinal study that followed 65 children placed in an institution before the age of 4 months. Some remained in institution and some retuned to their homes, and others were adopted.

Answer 117

At age 4 sand 8, the adopted children were doing the best in every way when compared to those returned home or in institution. However, the adopted children had more social and cognitive difficulties that a control group who had never been in care. At age 16, those who were adopted were able to from close bonds with their adoptive parents, but those returned home were less likely to be closely attached. Both adopted and returned home groups had problems with relationships in school.

Answer 118

The adopted children maintained good relationships because their parents presumably put lots of effort into the relationship, in contrast to those returned home who were rejected. Problems outside the home may have stemmed from poor self-esteem, early emotional deprivation and weak emotional development.

Answer 119

Bowlby’s theory that a critical period of 2.5 years for the development of attachment is essential for the development of further attachments.

Answer 120

A form of insecure attachment where children do not discriminate between people they choose as attachment figures. This means they are attention seeking and treat all adults, familiar or strangers, in the same way. Rutter says this may be a result of having multiple carers during the sensitive period for attachment formation.

Answer 121

Disinhibited attachments Poor mothering Damaged intellectual development Restricted physical growth (due to lack of emotional care even more than lack of nourishment)

Answer 122

Affiliations that occur with other people in childhood, including family, friends and other adults.

Answer 123

The relationships which a child goes on to have later in life as an adult, including friendships and working relationships, and also romantic relationships and those with their own children.

Answer 124

Bowlby’s theory of attachment that early attachments have lifelong consequences says that we have an internal working model, a mental representation of the world, formed by our relationship to our primary attachment figure, which effects our future relationships by shaping our perception of what relationships are like.

Answer 125

Through interactions with the child’s primary attachment figure.

Answer 126

Acts as a template for future childhood and adulthood relationships.

Answer 127

When a baby experiences loving relationships with a reliable attachment figure, they will assume that this is how all relationships are meant to be. They will seek out functional relationships and behave functionally within them.

Answer 128

A child with bad experiences of their first attachment will bring these bad experiences to bear on later relationships. This may mean they struggle to form relationships in the first place. They may not behave appropriately within relationships, displaying insecure-avoidant or insecure resistant behaviour towards friends and partners.

Answer 129

Securely attached infants tend to form the best quality childhood friendships, whereas those insecurely attached often have friendship difficulties.

Answer 130

Found that bullying behaviour can be predicted by attachment type, by assessing attachment type and bullying behaviour in children from London.

Answer 131

Secure children were very unlikely to be involved in bullying Insecure-avoidant children were the most likely to be victims Insecure-resistant children were the most likely to be bullies

Answer 132

Romantic relationships and parental relationships with their own children.

Answer 133

Hazen and Shaver

Answer 134

They extended Bowlby’s idea that later romantic relationships could be predictable from an individuals early attachment style (the continuity hypothesis). They tested Bowlby’s hypothesis with their love quiz.

Answer 135

Quiz of 100 questions was published in an American newspaper. Quiz assessed attachment style using a checklist about childhood relationships with parents and parents relationships with each other. It also assessed beliefs about romantic love to classify an attachment type.

Answer 136

56% were identified as securely attached, with 25% insecure-avoidant and 19% insecure-resistant. This means the prevalence of attachment styles is similar to that found in infancy. Those reporting secure attachments had better relationships in later life that those reporting insecure attachments.

Answer 137

More likely to have good and longer lasting romantic relationships. Described their love experiences as happy, friendly and trusting. Emphasised being able to accept and support their partner despite faults. Less likely to have been divorced.

Answer 138

Felt true love was rare and fell in and out of love easily. Often were jealous and fear intimacy. More likely to have ben divorced.

Answer 139

That patterns of attachment behaviour are reflected in romantic relationships and that there is a positive correlation between attachment types and love experiences.

Answer 140

Studied 40 adult women who had been assessed when they were babies to establish their attachment type. Those securely attached had the best adult friendships and romantic relationships. Those insecure-resistant had problems maintaining friendships. Those insecure-avoidant struggled with intimacy in romantic relationships.

Answer 141

Studied attachments of mothers to their babies and to their own mothers. Mother-baby attachment was assessed using the strange situation, and mother to their own mother attachment was assessed using an adult attachment interview. Majority has the same attachment classification both to their babies and their own mothers. Supports the idea that parenting style is based often on the internal working model, so attachment type tends to be passed on through generations of a family.

Answer 142

Lack of attachment during the critical period in development would result in a lack of an internal working model. This can lead to attachment disorder, in which children have no preferred attachment figure, and have an inability to interact and relate to others.

4.1.3 Attachment Flashcards

(175 cards)