Attachment

• What do newborn babies have that indicates readiness for interaction?

  Alert phases
• How often do mothers respond to babies' signals during alert phases?

  About two-thirds of the time
• What is interactional synchrony defined as?

  The coordination of micro-level behaviour
• What does interactional synchrony involve between mother and infant?


  Mirroring actions and emotions
• At what age did Meltzoff and Moore observe interactional synchrony?

  Two weeks old
• What was the method used by Meltzoff and Moore in their study?

  An adult displayed facial expressions or gestures
• What did Isabella et al (1989) find about synchrony and attachment quality?

  Higher synchrony leads to higher quality attachment
• What is reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?

  One person responds to the other
• How is reciprocal interaction described by Brazleton et al (1975)?

  As a 'dance' between partners
• What traditional view of babies is challenged by recent findings?

  Babies are passive receivers of care
• What is a strength of the research on mother-infant interactions?

  It uses well-controlled procedures
• Why is the observation of babies considered valid in this research?

  Babies don't know they are being observed
• What practical application does research on interactional synchrony have?

  Improving mother-infant attachments
• What limitation is associated with observing infants in research?

  It's hard to know what is happening
• What does Feldman (2012) suggest about synchrony and reciprocity?

  They describe behaviours without explaining purpose
• What social implication arises from research on mother-infant interactions?

  Mothers should not return to work too soon
• What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) find about primary attachments?

  Most babies attach to their mother first
• What percentage of cases did fathers become the first sole object of attachment?

  3%
• What did Grossmann (2002) find about the importance of father attachment?

  Less important than mother attachment
• What role do fathers play in attachment according to the research?

  More related to play and stimulation
• What did Field (1978) find about primary caregiver fathers?

  They adopt behaviors typical of mothers
• What is the key to building an attachment with an infant?

  Level of responsiveness
• What economic implication does research on fathers have?

  It may comfort working mothers
• What limitation exists regarding the role of fathers in attachment?

  Different researchers ask different questions
• What did Grossman (2002) find about fathers as secondary attachment figures?

  They have a distinct role involving play
• What does research suggest about children in single or same-sex parent families?

  They develop similarly to two-parent families
• What is a limitation of studying the asocial stage of attachment?

  Young babies have poor coordination
• What did Bowlby (1969) argue about multiple attachments?

  Most babies form attachments to one main carer first
• What are the stages of attachment according to Schaffer and Emerson?

  1. Asocial stage (first few weeks)
  2. Indiscriminate attachment (2-7 months)
  3. Specific attachment (around 7 months)
  4. Multiple attachments (by one year)
• What were the findings of Schaffer and Emerson's study on attachment?

  • 50% of babies showed separation anxiety by 25-32 weeks.
  • Primary attachment usually with the mother.
  • Attachment linked to caregiver's interaction and sensitivity.
• What are the strengths and limitations of Schaffer and Emerson's study?

  Strengths:

  • High external validity
  • Longitudinal design

  
  

  Limitations:

  • Issues with assessing multiple attachments
  • Problems studying the asocial stage
• What is the significance of the asocial stage in attachment development?

  Important interactions may occur despite poor coordination
• What does conflicting evidence suggest about the timing of multiple attachments?

  Timing may vary across different cultures
• What is the role of reciprocity in attachment development?

  It facilitates mutual responsiveness between caregiver and infant
• How does interactional synchrony contribute to attachment?

  It lays the foundation for emotional connections
• What is the impact of fathers on child development according to the research?

  Fathers contribute differently than mothers
• What does the research suggest about the importance of play in father-child interactions?

  Play is crucial for developing attachments
• What does the term 'secondary attachment' refer to?

  Attachments formed with other caregivers
• What is the significance of the primary attachment figure?

  It is the main source of emotional support
• How does the quality of attachment with the father affect teenagers?

  Less important than attachment with the mother