Introduction to Attachment

Introduction to Attachment

1. Interactional Synchrony

   • Mother and Infant reflect both the actions and the emotions of the other and do this in a co-ordination.
   • A mother pulling faces and the baby doing the same thing.
   • Synchronized.
   • Meltzoff & Moore (1977)
     • Infants as old as 2-3 weeks old imitated specific facial and hand gestures.
     • The Results
       • The babies copied what the adult did -> facial expressions.
   • Isabella et al (1989)
     • Securely attached Mother-infant pairs show more instances of interactional synchrony in the first year.

2. A close two way emotional bond between individuals in which each individual sees the other as essential for their emotional security.

   • A close bond between a child & a caregiver.
   • We need to make bonds because they affect all our future relationships, sense of love, teach basics & protection.

3. We can recognise attachment when certain behaviour is displayed.

   • Proximity -> Stay physically close to those who they're attached to.
   • Separation Distress -> Distressed when figure leaves.
   • Secure Base Behaviour -> Regular contact.

4. Reciprocity

   • A description of how 2 people interact. Mother-infant interaction is reciprocal.
   • One after the other.

5. Role of the father

   • Schaffer & Emerson
     • Fathers are secondary attachment figures.
       • Father attachments hold less importance.
     • 75% of babies attach to the father at 18 months.
   • Field (1978)
     • Gender doesn't matter, its the way they act with the child.
       • Why aren't children without fathers different?
       • Fathers may find that it is the women that should be caring and nurturing.
   • Inconsistent findings

6. Evaluation

   • Hard to know what is happening with infants. -> may be just instinct to copy.
   • Controlled observation
     • Baby is not changing their behaviour.
   • Doesn't tell us the purpose of synchrony & reciprocity
   • Cultural differences.