attatchment

• attachment is a close two-way emotional bond between two individuals where each individual sees the other as essential for their own emotional security
• caregiver is any person who provides care for a child
• An infant is usually taken to refer a child's first year of life
• caregiver-infant interaction refers to the communication between a caregiver and infant.
• Caregiver-infant interactions are important for the child's social development and form the basis of the attachment between the two. The more responsive or sensitive , the deeper the bond
• Reciprocity is the two-way or mutual process in a caregiver-infant interaction. Each party responds to the other's signals to sustain the interaction. Eg. a baby points and the dad looks at where the baby points
• interactional synchrony is when a caregiver and infant reflect the actions and emotions of each other in a coordinated way, they mirror each others facial and body movements
• Cohn and Tronick's aim was to see whether young infants can show signs of reciprocity. Mothers were asked to play with their infants for 2 minutes then show a 'still face' for another 2 minutes. They found that infants would try get the mother's attention and cried when they didnt. They concluded that children were trying to show reciprocity to the adult
• Meltzoff and Moore's aim was to investigate whether infants show signs of interactional synchrony. A male researcher pulled faces at the infant and their reaction was recorded. They found that children as young as 2-3 copied the researcher. They concluded that interactional synchrony is present from children at a young age and is used to interact with adults
• a weakness of reciprocity and synchrony is that they describe behaviour that occurs at the same time , so we dont have an actual reason why it happens, therefore we cant be certain that they have a special reason.
• Observations of the mother-infant interaction were well-controlled , filmed in multiple angles. Reduced demand characteristics and researcher bias from the baby as they do not know they are being studied. However it is difficult to study infants behaviour as their mouths are fairly in constant motion, therefore we cant be certain their actions have a special meaning.
• Primary attachment figure is someone whom an infant is most intensely attached to. They respond intensely to seperation
• a secondary attachment figure is a person an infant receives additional support from. They are an emotional safety net
• schaffer and Emerson found that most babies did become attachment to their mother first (around 7 months). Therefore the primary attachment figure is more likely to be the mother than the father.
• In 75% of the infants that were studied , an attachment to the father was formed at the age of 18 months.
• Grossman carried out a longitudinal study looking at both parent's behaviour and relationship to children. Quality of attachment to mothers but not fathers was related to children's attachment in adolescents. This suggested that fathers are less important in emotional development.
• Fathers have a different role in attachment -one that is more to do with play and stimulation and less with nurturing.
• There is evidence when fathers do take on the role of primary attachment figures , they adopt the behaviour of more typical mothers (field 1978)
• The claim that children without a father are no different than those with fathers suggests that the father's role is secondary , which is socially sensitive. This could suggest that fathers do not play a significant role in their children's lives , causing distress as they may feel like theres no worth getting involved
• There is supporting evidence for the role of the father has a gender difference. Freeman et al found that male children are more likely to prefer their father as an attachment figure than female children. This is a weakness as it suggests that fathers play a more distinct role in some attachments than others so we cant easily answer the question of the role of the father
• the asocial stage (first few weeks) - during this stage the baby recognises and forms bonds with its carers who become the primary caregiver. This person is normally the mother but its the person who responds best to the child's signal then time spent. Babies show preference for familiar adults , those who calm them. Reciprocity and interactional synchrony is important here.
• Indiscriminate attachment (2-7 months) - show a preference for people rather than inanimate objects and show preference and recognise familiar adults. They can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people. Do not show stranger or separation anxiety
• Specific attachment (7-12 months)- majority of babies display anxiety towards strangers and become anxious when separated from one particular adult. They show especial joy when reunited with that particular adult
• multiple attachments - shortly after babies show attachment behaviour to one adult, they usually extent this attachment behaviour to multiple attachments with other adults whom they regularly spend time , these people are secondary attachments
• Aim of Schaffer's stages of attachment

  To investigate the formation of early attachment in particular the age at which they developed, their emotional intensity and to whom they were directed
• Schaffer's procedure

  • Sample of 60 babies (31 male and 29 female) from glasgow , majority working class families.
  • it was a longitudinal study where babies and their mothers were studied every month for the first year than again at 18 months using observation and interviews
  • Asked mothers how their baby protested in 7 situations , assessed separation anxiety, and stranger anxiety
• Between 25-32 weeks, about 50% of babies show separation anxiety towards a particular adult and joy at the reunion with that person, known as making a specific attachment to a primary attachment figure
• Separation anxiety is a sign that the attachment has been formed
• Attachment is related to who is most interactive with the infant, rather than the time spent
• 65% of the first specific attachment is to the mother, while only 3% is to fathers
• By 40 weeks, 80% of babies make a specific attachment and almost 30% display multiple attachments
• 75% of babies form an attachment with the father by 18 months
• conclusion of Schaffer

  There is a pattern of specific attachment common to all infants which is biologically controlled. Futhermore attachments are more easily made with those who are sensitive. Primary attachments are more likely to be with the mother rather than the father.
• Schaffer's study was carried out longitudinally , meaning that the same children were followed up and observed regularly , suggesting that the results will be of higher validity than a crossectional study as they do not have cofounding variables , therefore it makes the developments of attachment valid
• In schaffer's study , the data was based on mother's reports of their infant. Some may have showed social desirability bias and wanted to appear as a good mother so altering the results. This would mean that the results would lack internal validity
• One weakness of the stages theory is that they suggest that development is inflexible. It suggests normally specific attachments come before multiple attachments. This is a problem because thet stages become a standard by which families are judged and may then be classed at abnormal
• Ethology is the study of animal behaviour
• Imprinting is the innate readiness to develop a strong bond with the mother , during a specific time in development , there is a critcial point for this
• Sexual imprinted is the idea that imprinting can affect adult male preferences. Animals will choose to mate with similar characteristics upon they were imprinted
• Lorenz (1935) study procedure

  • goose eggs were randomly divided , half hatched with their mother and half in an incubator
  • DV behaviour was recorded of the goslings eg who they followed , when the two groups were mixed up