Attachment

• Classical conditioning


  Association learning by stimulus
• Operant conditioning


  Learning by consequences
• Classical conditioning of attachment

  1. Child learns to associate carer with food

  2. Food is an unconditioned stimulus which is associated with pleasure

  3. Carer starts as a neutral stimulus

  4. Over time, carer becomes associated with food and becomes a conditioned stimulus which evokes pleasure
• Neutral stimulus


  A stimulus that produces no response
• Conditioned stimulus


  A stimulus that evokes a response due to association
• Operant conditioning of attachment

  1. If a behaviour results in agreeable consequences, it is likely to be repeated

  2. If a behaviour results in disagreeable consequences, it is likely to decline

  3. Crying results in feeding, so crying is reinforced

  4. Escaping from an unpleasant stimulus is agreeable, so it is a reinforcer

  5. Carer dislikes hearing a baby cry, so cessation of crying is a negative reinforcer

  6. Smiling by the child is rewarding, so it is a positive reinforcer
• An attachment bond is formed between carer and child through classical and operant conditioning
• Missing terms: association, reinforced, negative reinforcer, positive reinforcer
• Attachment behaviours include crying, smiling, laughing, vocalising, reaching out, clinginging, following, and exploring.

  
• The first six months are crucial for developing attachments, with infants showing signs of distress when separated from their primary caregiver.
• There are three main types of attachment identified using the SSP: secure, avoidant, and resistant/ambivalent.
• Infants show stranger anxiety at around eight months old, indicating they have developed selective attachments.
• Bowlby's theory suggests that children develop internal working models based on early experiences, which can influence future relationships.
• Children who experience neglect or abuse may form insecure attachments, leading to difficulties forming healthy adult relationships.
• Securely attached children explore freely but return to their mother's lap if she calls them back or they hear her voice.
• Resistently attached children have mixed feelings about separation and may become upset upon reunion.
• Avoidantly attached children show little interest in their mothers and do not seek comfort from them.
• Securely attached children explore more freely but return to their mother's side if she calls them back or returns herself.
• Avoidantly attached children do not seek comfort from their mothers during separation and may actively resist her attempts to soothe them.
• Disorganized attachment is characterized by inconsistent behavior towards the caregiver.
• The Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) was developed by Mary Ainsworth to assess infant attachment styles.