attachment

• definition of attachment?

  reciprocal emotional bond between 2 people
• features of an attachment?

  proximity , separation anxiety , secure base and reunion joy
• what is interactional synchrony?

  Coordinated and mirroring behaviours between infant and caregiver during social interactions.
• evaluation of research on interactional synchrony?

  filmed observation- could distract baby

  undetermined developmental importance
• stages of attachment?

  asocial (6 weeks) , indiscriminate (6 months) , specific (6-10 months), multiple attachments
• what did lorenz study?


  imprinting in geese
• what did harlow study?


  maternal deprivation in monkeys
• learning theory of attachment?

  we learn attachments through classical conditioning and maintain them through operant
• evaluation of learning theory?

  harlows monkeys prove comfort is more important than comfort

  reductionist as it reduces complex behaviour to on factor

  does not consider genetics

  deterministic no free will
• what were the key points of bowlbys theory?

  attachment is an innate instinct

  monotropic
• what does ASCMI stand for?

  adaptive , social releasers , critical period , monotropy , internal working model
• steps of strange situation?

  1.parent + infant alone

  2.stranger enters talks to mum, mum leaves

  3.first separation , stranger comforts baby

  4.first reunion , parent back stranger leaves

  5.second separation , infant alone

  6.stranger enters

  7.second reunion , stranger leaves
• what is measured in the strange situation?

  exploration , separation behaviour , stranger anxiety , reunion behaviour
• what are the 3 attachment types ?

  secure, resistant , aviodent
• evaluation of the strange situation?

  -standardised procedure

  -based on more than 1 behaviour

  -lacks ecological validity

  -cultural variation
• original study results?

  secure = 65% avoidant = 21% resistant = 14%
• how was cultural variation investigated?

  meta analysis of 32 studies in 8 countries, both individualistic and collectivist
• definition of separation?


  not in the presence of primary caregiver ( temporary)
• definition of deprivation?

  occurs when bond is formed then broken
• definition of privation?

  no attachment made
• what is imprinting?


  a strong and often irreversible emotional connection to a moving object
• what is the critical period?

  A specific time in development when certain skills or abilities must be acquired.
• what is reciprocity?


  individuals tend to respond to the actions of others by mirroring
• what is interactional synchrony?


  where infant and caregiver react in tune and move in synch
• what are social releasers?


  Social releasers are stimuli that trigger certain social behaviors in animals.
• what is the internal working model?

  Mental representation of self and others in relationships.
• what is a secure attachment type?

  infant uses mum as safe base and reacts and responds to her
• what is an resistant attachment?

  clingy infant , difficult to comfort , angry
• what is an avoidant attachment?

  infant does not react to mum , does not rely on mum
• what is maternal deprivation?

  The absence or loss of a mother figure during critical periods of a child's development, leading to negative psychological and emotional effects.
• what is institutional care?

  residential care for large groups of children