topic 5

• Bowlby looked into the concept of imprinting which occurs during a critical period. this is when the animal imprints. Lorenz observed this in geese.
• Social releasers are innate behaviours which shape parental responses. the three are smiling, crying and sucking.
• type A attachment is insecure anxious or avoidant. this is when the baby avoids proximity at return but is distressed by mother leaving.
• type B is secure. this is when the baby seeks mother and is distressed at mothers absence.
• type C is insecure ambivalent or resistant. the baby seeks and resists mother contact.
• type D is insecure disorganised. this is when there is no one clear pattern of behaviour.
• Bowlby found two outcomes from failure to form attachment. affectionless psychopathy is the inability to feel empathy or guilt. developmental retardation is how the critical period is linked to cognitive development.
• aim was to investigate interaction between infant attachment behaviour, response to unfamiliar situations and separation and reunion from mother
• sample was 56 1 year old babies and mothers. 23 were observed longitudinally
• method was a controlled observation
• in 1 M carried B into room
• in 2 M put B down and participated if B wanted attention
• in 3 S came in then M left
• in 4 B played with toys with S
• in 5 M enters S leaves M leaves
• in 6 B left alone
• in 7 S entered and same as 4
• in 8 M returned and S left
• exploratory behaviour decreased in 3 and was low in 4
• crying increased when M left in 4 and 6
• search behaviour peaked in 6 when left alone
• contact maintaining increased when M returned in 5 and 8
• most who scored high in contact maintaining also scored high in contact resisting
• concluded that in threatening situations attachment behaviour increases and attachment figure is used as a secure base for exploration