Attachment

Question 1

Attachment

Answer 1

An emotional bond between two people. Two-way process that endures over time

Question 2

Caregiver-infant interaction

Answer 2

Traditional perception of childhood saw babies in a passive role receiving care from an adult
However babies do interact with their caregiver in a meaningful way, which leads to the forming of an attachment

Question 3

Reciprocity

Answer 3

Infants coordinate actions with caregivers like a convo

Move in rhythm when interacting taking turns

Question 4

Brazelton (1978)

Answer 4

Suggests that this rhythm is important for later communication. The regularity of an infants signals allows a caregiver to anticipate the infants behaviour and respond appropriately

Question 5

Interactional synchrony

Answer 5

Refers to imitation of facial and body movement
Metzoff and Moore (1977) found that babies as young as 2/3 weeks imitate specific facial and hand gestures
Demonstrated this with 3 day olds (1983)

Question 6

Schaffer and Emerson - procedure (1964)

Answer 6

60 babies from working class families, Glasgow
Once a month for 1st year, then 18 months
Asked mother same questions about infants response to 7 everyday situations
Asked to rate intensity (1-4)
Measured stranger anxiety towards interviewer

Question 7

Evaluation of Schaffer and Emerson (1964)

Answer 7

Small sample 
Unrepresentative 
Individualistic culture 
Large gap between visits 
Social desirability 
Relies on mothers memories 
Demand characteristics 
Same interviewer - not a stranger

Question 8

Attachment figures

Answer 8

Primary attachment figures

Secondary attachment figure

Question 9

Schaffer and Emerson - findings (1964)

Answer 9

Majority of babies become attached to mother first (7 months)
Secondary attachment is formed few weeks/months later
75% formed attachment to father by 18 months

Question 10

Why fathers are secondary attachment figures

Answer 10

Fathers spend less time with kids - Lambs study disproves; little relationship between father accessibility and infant-father attachment
Men lack emotional sensitivity - Heerman et al (1994) found men les sensitive to infancy cues

Question 11

Grossman (2002)

Answer 11

Carried out longitudinal study
Quality of infant attachments to mother was related to attachments formed in adolescence
Relationship between fathers play with infants and the quality of their adolescent attachments

Question 12

Role of secondary caregiver

Answer 12

Research has consistently shown that fathers are more playful, physically active and generally better at providing challenging situations

Question 13

Evaluation of attachment figures

Answer 13

Nature vs. Nurture - culture or lack of oestrogen
Inconsistent findings - contradicting research
Father less children turn out fine - Field (1978); filmed 4 month old babies in face-to-face interactions with primary caregiver mothers and fathers (v. similar)
Socially sensitive research

Question 14

4 stages of attachment

Answer 14

Asocial stage
Indiscriminate stage
Specific attachment
Multiple attachment

Question 15

Asocial stage

Answer 15

Up to 6 weeks
Similar response to people and objects
Reciprocity and international synchrony helps establish relationships
Show preference to certain adults (those who calm them)
Show preference for social stimuli

Question 16

Indiscriminate stage

Answer 16

6 weeks to 6 months
Can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people
Prefer humans and become more social
Distinctive feature - general sociability
No stranger or separation anxiety

Question 17

Specific attachment

Answer 17

7 months onwards
Begin to show distinctively diff. sort of protest when a particular person put them down
Begins to show stranger anxiety
Forms specific attachment to person who offers most interaction and responds to baby’s cues with most skill

Question 18

Multiple attachments

Answer 18

10-11 months onwards
Infant forms attachments to other adults with whom they regularly spend time (secondary attachments)
Display separation anxiety to all attachment figures