Attachment

• What does attachment mean?

  An emotional tie or bond between an infant and a caregiver. The relationship is said to be reciprocal
• What 3 behaviours demonstrate anxiety from babies?

  1)Proximity

  2)Separation distress

  3)Secure base behaviour
• What is proximity in the context of caregiver-infant interactions?

  Children remain physically close to those they are attached to
• What is separation distress?

  Babies are distressed when an attachment figure leaves their presence
• What is secure base behaviour?

  Infants display secure base behaviour when they return to their attachment figure while playing
• What is “reciprocity”?

  When a person responds to the other which elicits a response from them
• What is an example of reciprocity in caregiver-infant interactions?

  When a baby smiles and the caregiver says something in response
• What are alert phases?

  Babies have periodic alert phases when they are ready for a spell of interaction e.g maintaining eye contact. Research shows that caregivers pick up on alert phases 2/3 of the time
• What is active involvement?

  Both the baby and caregiver take up an active role in care and they both initiate interactions between each other
• What is Interactional synchrony?

  When an infant responds to the action of an another person or where the actions of one partner e.g the infant elicits a response from the mother (their actions mirror each other)
• Why is Interactional synchrony important for attachment?

  Interactional synchrony is important for the development of caregiver interactions. Russel Isabell et.al found that high levels of synchrony are consistent with better quality of mother baby attachment
• What was the aim of Meltzoff and Moore‘s research?

  To examine caregiver-infant interactions
• What was the method of Meltzoff and Moore’s study?

  They observed the beginnings of Interactional synchrony in babies as young as 2 weeks. An adult model would display one of the three facial expressions or hand movements. The child’s response was filmed and observed by independent observers
• What is the findings of Meltzoff & Moore’s study?

  They found babies expressions and gestures were more likely to mirror those of the adults
• Why is flimed observations a strength in Meltzoff & Moore’s research?

  Caregiver interactions were filmed in the lab. Other activities that may distract the baby are controlled. Using films means observations can be later analysed. Observers can establish inter rater reliability of observations. Babies don’t know they are being recorded so they will behave more naturally. This means there is good validity
• What is it difficult to observe babies?

   It’s hard to interpret babies behaviour as they lack co-ordination and most of their body is immobile. For example, you can never know if a babies hand twitches randomly or due to the caregiver. Therefore, we can’t be certain that behaviours seen in caregiver infant interactions have a special meaning 
• What is the counterpoint between practical value and ethics?

  Research into caregiver infant interactions has practical applications in parenting skills training. For example Cromwell found 10 minute PCIT improved Interactional synchrony in 20 low income mother and children. However, research into caregiver infant interactions is socially sensitive as it can be used to argue a mother returning to work to soon after having a baby as it can damage their babies development 
• What are the stages of Schaffer and Emerson‘s research?

  1)Asocial stage

  2)Indiscriminate attachment

  3)Specific attachment

  4)Multiple attachment
• What was the procedure for Schaffer and Emerson’s research?

  Longitudinal study where 60 Glaswegian babies from skilled working class families were observed. Researchers visited mother and babies once a year and then again at 18 months. Researchers asked parents to keep a diary of their observations and would report back. They came up with four stages for how attachment develops
• What happens during the asocial stage?

  • First few weeks of life babies observable behaviour to humans and inanimate object is fairly similar
  • Babies prefer and are comforted around familiar company
  • Babies begin to form bonds and form the basis of later attachments
• What happens during the indiscriminate attachment?

  • 2 - 7 months babies shows a preference for being around human than inanimate objects
  • Babies accept hugs and cuddles from other people (Indiscriminate)
• What happens during the specific attachment stage?

  • Around 7 months babies form a primary attachment figure
  • They show separation and stranger anxiety
  • By age of one majority of babies have formed multiple attachments
• What are strengths of Schaffer & Emerson’s research?

  1)Good External validity = S&E is a naturalistic observation where researchers weren’t present so infants behaviour was natural. Results can be generalised to real life settings

  2)Real World application = Can be used at day care. Ensures babies get the right care and needs are catered to for depending on what stage they are on. e.g asocial stage presence of an unfamiliar adult will be problematic
• What is a weakness of Schaffer & Emerson’s research?

  LS studies are expensive and it takes a long time to gather results and often participants become tired of taking part and withdraw from the study before it ends
• What are longitudinal studies?

  Studies that are usually observations as they do not interfere with the test subjects in any means.
• What does the term “father“ mean in attachment research?

  In attachment research the father is anyone who takes up the role of the main caregiver. This can be but not always the biological father
• What were the traditional views on the role of the father in attachment research?

  • Men weren’t equipped to form an attachment biologically, psychologically and socially
  • Societal/Cultural expectation view child bearing as feminine
  • Father take up a different role e.g As a playmate
• What does research show about traditional views on the role of the father?

  Hormones such as oestrogen allow a women to develop caring abilities so they can form attachments to their children
• What are more modern views of role of the father in attachment research?

  • Fathers can form secure attachments
  • Fathers show sensitive responsiveness to needs of children
  • More common for a man to be involved in the upbringing of children
• What does research show about modern views on the role of the father in attachment research?

  • Testosterone levels lowers when a man becomes a father which leads to increased impact of dopamine and oxytocin being released when interacting which allows a more enjoyable bond to take place
• What research did Grossman et.al conduct into the role of the father?

  Longitudinal study where babies attachment was studied into their teens. Researchers looked at parents behaviour + quality of babies later attachments to other people. Grossman found that quality of fathers play with babies was related to quality of adolescent attachments. This suggests fathers have a different role from mothers. 
• What research did Tiffany Fields conduct into the role of the father?

  Filmed 4 month old babies in face to face interaction with primary caregivers mothers, secondary and primary caregiver fathers. Fields found that Primary caregiver father would smile, imitate and hold babies (Interactional and reciprocity synchrony) This shows how father have the potential to be more emotion focused primary caregiver 
• What is strength about research into the role of the father ?

  Real world application. Research can help offer advice to parents. Parents may stress over who takes the primary caregiver role. Mothers may feels pressured to stay at home due to stereotypical views. Lesbian couples can be told they do not need a father figure as it wouldn’t affect the child’s development. Parental anxiety can be reduced 
• What conflicting evidence is there against the role of the father?

   Research findings may vary depending on the methodology used. Longitudinal studies e.g Grossman found that fathers are involved in child’s play and stimulation.However, if this were true then children in single sex families would turn out different. The role of the father remains answered. 
• Why is there bias in role of the father research?

  Preconceptions about father’s role can be created through stereotypical images of parenting roles e.g advertising. This may cause unintended observer bias. Observers will see what they want to see instead of objective reality. 
• Which two researchers conducted key animal studies into attachment?

  Harlow and Lorenz
• What was the aim for Harlow’s monkey’s?

  Investigate whether Rheus monkeys would prefer contact comfort or food
• What is contact comfort?

  The physical and emotional comfort that infants receive from being close to its mother
• What was the method for Harlows monkeys?

  • Rheus monkeys taken out of their natural habitat
  • Placed in cage with two “surrogate” mothers
  • One mother was made of wire that dispensed milk the other was made of cloth that did not dispense milk
  • Time spent with each mother was recorded
• What were the findings from Harlows monkeys?

  Harlow found that monkeys spent more time with the cloth covered mother especially when frightened