This document provides a summary of the attachment topic in A- level psychology.
It covers these sub topics,
Caregiver-infant interactions
Schaffer’s stages of Attachment
The role of the father
Explanations of Attachment: Learning Theory
Explanations of Attachment: Bowlby’s Theory
Att...
ATTACHMENT is a close 2-way emotional bond between 2 individuals which endures over time.
Attachment BEHAVIOURS:
1. Proximity seeking: infants try to maintain physical contact or to be close to their
attachment figure.
2. Separation anxiety: if the primary attachment figures leave them causes distress.
3. Secure-base behaviour: relationship with one or more sensitive and responsive attachment
figure who meet the childs needs and whom the child can turn as a safe haven.
Interactional Synchrony = mirroring – ‘the coordination of micro-level behaviour’
Meltzoff & Moore (1977) - found that babies would mirror what facial expression the adult was
showing him/her.
Isabella et al (1989)
observed 20 mothers and infants and assessed the degree of synchrony and the quality of
mother-infant attachment.
They found that high levels of synchrony were associated with better quality mother baby
attachments. (e.g. the emotional intensity of the relationship)
Reciprocity = ‘turn taking’ – one person responds to the other persons action. For example when a
caregiver might respond to his baby’s smile by saying something and then this elicits a response
from his baby.
Alert phases:
Babies have periodic alert phases in which they signal they are ready for interaction.
Fieldman and Eidelman – research from then shows that mothers usually pick up on it and
respond 2/3 of the time.
From around 3 months this interaction tends to become increasingly frequent and involves
both mother and baby paying close attention to each other’s verbal signal and facial
expressions. Feldman2007)
Active involvement:
Views baby as taking an active role as both caregivers and babies initiate interactions.
Both take turns doing so.
T.Berry Brazelton (1975) described this interaction as a dance as partner responds to the
other person’s moves.
AO3
- -
P: A limitation is that it is hard to know what is P: However, a limitation is that observations
happening when observing infants . . . don’t tell us the purpose of synchrony and
reciprocity . . .
E: Young babies lack co-ordination and much of
their bodies are immobile. E: For example, Ruth Feldman (2012) points out
that all of that its just in name. its still not
, E: For example, we cannot know whether a explained the purpose of these behaviours.
movement such as a hand twitch is random or
triggered by something the caregiver has done. T: this means that we cannot be certain from
observational research alone that reciprocity
L: This means that we cannot be certain that and synchrony are important for a child’s
the behaviours seen in caregiver- infant development.
interactions have special meaning.
L: However, there is some evidence that they
are helpful in the development of mum-infant
attachment, stress responses, empathy,
language and moral development . . .
- +
P: However, a limitation is that research into P: However, a strength of this research is it’s
mother-infant interaction is socially potential value to society . . .
sensitive . . .
E: E: for example, Rebecca Crotwell et al (2013)
found that a 10 min Parent – child interaction
E: Therapy improved interactional synchrony. In
20 low income mothers and their preschool
L: This means that . . . children.
T: This suggests that the research does have
some actual value for the real world. Which can
help with families and decrease the risk of a
child developing some mental disorder.
Schaffer’s stages of Attachment
, AO1
Schaffer & Emerson (1964) – stages of attachment research:
Procedure:
60 Glasgow babies from working class families, visited at home every month for a year and
at 18 months.
Separation anxiety measured by the adult (parent leaving the room)
Stranger anxiety measured by the parent leaving the room. And its reaction to the
stranger in the room.
Findings & conclusions:
50% of babies showed separation anxiety towards . . . between 2 & 32 weeks of age
Specific (primary) attachment was usually the mum.
Attachment tended to be to the carer who offers the most interaction. This was not
necessarily the person the infant spent the most time with.
Stages of Attachment – A, I, S, M
Stage Age Explanation
Asocial First few weeks Behaviour towards humans and inanimate objects
similar.
Indiscriminat 2 to 7 months. Display more obvious and observable social
e attachment behaviours.
Now show a clear preference for being with
humans rather then inanimate objects.
Also recognise and prefer the company of familiar
people.
Do not usually show signs of stranger anxiety.
Specific Around 7 months Majority of babies shows signs that they have
attachment attached themselves to one person.
Signs such as stranger anxiety and separation
anxiety.
The person with the attachment formed is called
the primary attachment figure.
Attachment is formed not necessary with who
spends the most time with but who offers the
most interaction.
Multiple From 10 months old Extend this attachment behaviour to other people.
attachments Which is known as secondary attachments.
Shaffer and Emerson observed that 29% of the
children formed secondary attachments within a
month of forming a primary attachment.
AO3
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