Attachment and Bonding

Question 1

What are the phases in the development of attachments?

Answer 1

1 - Pre-attachment.

2 - Indiscriminate attachment.

3 - Discriminate attachment.

4 - Multiple attachment.

Question 2

Describe the pre-attachment phase.

How long does it last for?

Answer 2

• The development of the preference for contact with humans.

- Lasts up to 3 months.

Question 3

Describe the indiscriminate attachment phase.

When does it occur and how long does it last for?

Answer 3

• Infants start to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar people.
• Allows strangers to look after infants without noticeable distress.
• Occurs at 3 months of age and lasts up to 7 months.

Question 4

Describe the discriminate attachment phase.

When does it occur?

What is separation anxiety?

Answer 4

• Infants actively try to stay close to certain familiar people and become distressed when separated from them (separation anxiety).
• Occurs at 7-8 months of age.

Question 5

What is required of an infant in order to demonstrate discriminate attachment?

Answer 5

Requires the infant to be able to discriminate between its mother and other people.

Question 6

What is object permanence?

Answer 6

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be perceived.

Question 7

In which attachment phase might an infant demonstrate the fear of stranger response?

Answer 7

The discriminate attachment phase.

Question 8

Describe the multiple attachment phase.

When does it occur?

Answer 8

• The phase where strong additional ties are formed.
• The fear of stranger response weakens.
• Occurs at 9 months of age onwards.

Question 9

What is imprinting?

Who theorised this?

Answer 9

• The phenomenon where non human animals form strong bonds with the first moving objects they encounter.
• Theorised by Lorenz.

Question 10

What implications can imprinting have on animals later in life?

Answer 10

They may show sexual preference for the species of the organism they first saw at birth / were imprinted on.

Question 11

Give an example of a psychoanalytic theory of attachment.

Answer 11

Infants become attached because of a caregiver’s ability to satisfy instinctual needs.

Question 12

Give an example of a behavioural theory of attachment.

Answer 12

Infants associate their caregivers with gratification and they learn to approach them to have their physiological needs satisfied.

Question 13

What is Bowlby’s theory of attachment?

Answer 13

Because new-born infants are helpless, they are genetically programmed to behave towards their mothers in ways that ensure survival.

Question 14

List 4 behaviours that exemplify Bowlby’s theory of attachment.

Answer 14

1 - Non-nutritive sucking.

2 - Cuddling.

3 - Smiling.

4 - Crying.

Question 15

According to Bowlby, when does the attachment between a mother and infant become useless?

What is this period known as?

Answer 15

• After 36 months.

- Known as the critical period.

Question 16

What is monotropy?

Answer 16

The phenomenon where infants display innate tendency to attach to one adult.

Question 17

What are mirror neurones?

Answer 17

Neurones that fire both when an action is performed or when observing another perform that action.

Question 18

What is maternal sensitivity and how does it influence attachment?

Answer 18

• A mother’s ability to perceive the meaning of her infant’s behaviour.
• Attachment correlates with maternal sensitivity.

Question 19

What behaviour might be exhibited by an anxious avoidant type? (4)

Answer 19

• The organism is indifferent to the mother.
• Play is little affected by the presence of the mother.
• Actively ignores or avoids the mother on her return.
• As easily comforted by the mother as by a stranger.

Question 20

What behaviour might be exhibited by a secure attachment type? (5)

Answer 20

• Play is little affected by the presence of a stranger if the mother is present.
• The mother is ignored because she can be trusted.
• Increased stress and reduced play when the mother leaves.
• Seeks immediate contact when mother returns.
• More easily comforted by the mother than by a stranger.

Question 21

What behaviour might be exhibited by an anxious resistant type? (5)

Answer 21

• Infant is fussy and wary when the mother is present.
• Cries more than other types.
• Infant has difficulty using the mother as a secure base.
• Distressed when mother leaves.
• Upon mother’s return, seeks contact but also shows anger and resists contact.
• Actively resists strangers’ efforts to make contact.