Attachment

• What was the aim of Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg's study?

  Conducted a meta-analysis to found the proportions of different attachments in different countries.

  Found if there is a variance between countries
• Who studied the types of cultures?

  Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg
• Characteristics of individualistic cultures

  - Focus on developing initiative in infants

  - Mothers react favourably to independent behaviour

  - More anti-social development
• Characteristics of collectivistic cultures

  - Focus on interpersonal development of infants

  - Less anti-social behaviour
• Define cultural variation

  In attachment- difference in proportions of children of different attachment types
• Define collectivistic cultures

  Normally eastern, and emphasise group membership and interdependence
• Define individualistic cultures

  Normally western, and emphasise independence and individuality
• Define culture

  A set of norms, beliefs and traditions shared with a large group of people
• What are weaknesses of the strange situation (Ainsworth)?


  Strange situation may not have meaning in other cultures.Cultural differences make caregiver and child react differently for example Takahashi found it didn't work in Japan as children are very rarely separated from there mothers so had high levels of separation anxiety.Strange situation is culturally biasedStrange situation is artificial.The situation take place in a controlled and artificial environment which is different to the mothers and babies normal setting.This suggests difficult to generalise the findings to real life as the mothers and caregivers may be acting differently.
• What are strengths of the Strange situations (Ainsworth)?


  Research that supports that attachment type predicts later attachment.Babies that are securely attached go onto be more successful (in school, friendships, relationships) and babies that are insecure-resistance will be less successful (bullying and mental health process)High validityHas inter-rater reliability.When different observers watch the study they generally agree on what attachment type to classify them as.Reliable method as we can confirm the attachment types identified
• What percentage of insecure resistant attachments are in the UK?

  3%
• What percentage of insecure resistant attachments did Ainsworth find?

  15%
• What behaviours are shown in insecure resistance/type C?

  - Secure base behaviour = STRONG

  - Reunion behaviour = strong but they are angry with their caregiver for leaving

  - Separation anxiety = STRONG

  - Stranger anxiety = STRONG
• What percentage of secure attachments where found in the UK?

  60-75%
• What percentage of secure attachments where found in Ainsworth's study?

  70%
• What behaviours are shown in type b/secure attachment?


  Cooperative interactions with there caregivers

  - Secure base behaviour = MODERATE

  - Reunion behaviour = MODERATE

  - Separation anxiety = MODERATE

  - Stranger anxiety = MODERATE
• What percentage of Insecure avoidance where found in the UK?

  3%
• What percentage of Insecure avoidance where found in Ainsworth's study?

  15%
• What behaviours are shown in Type A/insecure avoidant?

  Avoid social interaction and intimacy with others

  - Secure base behaviour = NO

  - Reunion behaviour = NO

  - Separation anxiety = NO

  - Stranger anxiety = Little
• What is type C attachment?

  Insecure resistant (clingy)
• What is type B attachment?

  Secure (moderate)
• What is type A attachment?

  insecure-avoidant
• What happens eighth in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  The caregiver returns and greets the infant

  Tests: Reunion behaviour
• What happens seventh in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  A stranger enters and approaches the infant

  Tests: Stranger anxiety
• What happens sixth in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  Caregiver leaves infant alone

  Tests: Separation anxiety
• What happens fifth in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  The caregiver returns and the stranger leaves

  Tests: Reunion behaviour and exploration/secure base
• What happens fourth in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  The caregiver leaves and stranger interacts with infant

  Tests: Separation anxiety and stranger anxiety
• What happens third in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  The stranger enters and interacts with the infant

  Tests: Stranger anxiety
• What happened seconds in Ainsworth's strange situation? What did it test?

  Caregiver takes the infant to the laboratory room and they are left to explore

  Tests: Exploration and secure base
• What happened first in Ainsworth@s strange situation?


  Child and caregiver enter an unfamiliar playroom
• What was the strange situation method?

  - Controlled observation

  - The room had a one way mirror so the researcher could see what was going on

  - 100 middle class American infants and mothers
• What was the aim of Mary Ainsworth study?


  To observe key attachment behaviours as a means of accessing the quality of a child's attachment to their caregiver.
• What did Mary Ainsworth's do?


  Created the strange situation.
• What are weaknesses of Bowlby's monotropic theory?

  Ethical issues as may impact the mothers life style choice.Bowlby says having substantial time away could lead to poor quality relationships and this places pressure on the mother.Pushes mother into life style choices therefore socially sensitive.There is research too undermine the theory.Schaffer and Emerson found most babies attach to one person but some formed multiple attachments at once for example people in collectivistic cultures.Reduces validity of the theory.
• What are strengths of Bowlby's monotropic theory?

  There is research to support the theory.Hazen and Shaver used the "love quiz" and found a relationship between childhood and adult attachment type (continuity hypothesis).Provides support for internal working model and continuity hypothesis which increases the validity.There is support from animals.Lorenz found geese imprint on the first moving object they see meaning it is pre-programmed.This suggests attachment is an adaptive evolutionary behaviour as Bowlby suggested.CANNOT USE GEESE TO EXPLAIN HUMAN ATTACHMENT.
• What is the continuity hypothesis?

  Individuals who are securely attached in infancy continue to be socially and emotionally competent. They are likely to have secure relationships as adults.
• What is an internal working model


  The idea that the child has a mental representation of what their relationship was like with their primary caregiver and they expect this with their relationships in later life.
• What is the idea that the relationship of an infant with a primary attachment is the most important?

  Monotropy
• What is the critical period according too Bowlby?

  2 years

  Infants who do not form an attachment in this stage have difficulty forming attachments later on
• What are social releasers according to Bowlby?


  Suggested babies areborn with a set of cute featuresand behaviours which activate theinnate adult attachmentPhysical social releasers - big eyes, small nose/chin, high foreheadBehavioural social releasers - crying, cooing, gripping