attachment theory

• a strong ______ tie

  affectional
• relationship in which the infant gets

  1. needs met consistently
  2. synchronous stimulation
  3. affection
• konrad lorenz- 1937


  imprinting on geese

  automatic not learned

  critical period of learning

  irreversible
• john bowley 


  this relationship forms a emotional tie with another person and affects future emotional and cognitive development
• genes/ baby

  inborn personality

  reactive/difficult, relaxed/ cheerful
• environment/ parental interaction style 


  very important

  synchronous/ responsive, impatient/unresponsive
• harry harlow


  importance of contact and comfort
• monkey video

  babies preferred contact

  when afraid, babies rain to cloth mother

  would explore environment when cloth mother was present
• mary ainsworth 


  the strange situation test
• attachment style assessed by

  1. exploratory behavior
  2. stranger anxiety
  3. separation anxiety
  4. reaction to reunion
• attachment types

  1. secure (65-70%)- explores room, has a secure base
  2. insecure
  3. resistant (10%)-anxious and clingy, no exploration
  4. avoidant (15%)-explores but play no as constructive
  5. disorganized (5-10%)-no exploration
• Long term effects

  • influences adult attachment
  • personality
  • memory
  • secure- positive detail
  • insecure- negative detail
• peer definition

  social equal, similar level of behavioral complexity (age)

  have equal power
• mildred parten's way of engaging in play

  • non social
  • unoccupied
  • solitary
  • parallel
  • parallel
  • true social
  • associative
  • cooperative
• unoccupied 


  not doing anything

  not engaging

  not playing
• solitary 


  engaged by themself

  not interested in others
• onlooker


  intently watching others play
• parallel


  doing/ playing with something but not interacting with others
• associative 


  play together but not cooperative
• cooperative 


  working toward a common goal
• what is rule governed play

  games with rules

  hobbies with instructions
• basis for friendship

  • preschool- earl childhood
  • common activities
  • chumships- 9 to 12
  • mutual relationships
  • adolescence
  • intimacy and self disclosure
  • adult
  • young- have more friends
  • confident
  • feel attachment and with whom you can share your thoughts and feelings
• peer culture 


  specialized vocabulary , dress code and place to 'hangout'

  group membership, highly sought out; some are excluded
• socio-emotional selectivity hypothesis 


  adult network shrinks

  quality over quantity
• adult romantic attachments

  infant to adult

  infant: secure --> adult: secure

  infant: resistant --> adult: preoccupied

  infant: avoidant --> adult: dismissing

  infant: disorganized --> adult: fearful
• adult romantic attachments

  secure- healthy balance of attachment and autonomy

  preoccupied- clingy, worry about abandonment, express anxiety and anger

  dismissing- avoids intimacy and is 'self-reliant'

  fearful- needs relationships but doubts, fears intimacy, lack a coherent strategy
• sternbergs triangular theory of adult relationships

  • I- intimacy
  • P - passion
  • C - commitment
• intimacy 


  emotional part of love
• passion


  motivation/ physical part of love
• commitment 


  decision- cognitive aspect of love
• seven types of love

  1. liking
  2. infatuated love
  3. empty love
  4. romantic love
  5. companionate love
  6. fatuous love
  7. consummate love
• two perspectives of adult relationships

  1. love relationships evolve overtime
  2. passion <->intimacy <->commitment
  3. three parts can represent three points on a triangle, love moves around these points
  4. describes the types of relationship
• emotional regulation


  monitoring others reactions in ambiguous situations

  using this info to regulate ones own feelings and behaviors

  ex. how a child views the parents reaction when they answer the door