Differences in Attachment

Differences in Attachment

1. Parental sensitivity

   • Ainsworth suggested secure attachment dependent upon emotionally close and responsive mothering
   • Ainsworth & Bell suggested some mothers are more responsive than others
   • baby of a mother who reacted quickly to cries at 3mnths old & sensitive to babies feeding needs more likely to be securely attached at 1yr
     • other studies agreed securely attached children more likely to have mother who are
       • 1. more involved with child
       • 2. more responsive to signals
       • 3. more positive in emotional responses
       • 4. give more appropriate responses
   • primary carers sensitivity may also related to her own relationship with her primary carer
   • Levaenen & Silven
     • strong relationship between sensitivity of mothers & reported attachment to their own mothers
   • recent studies also indicate primary carers can be trained to be more sensitive
     • Juffer et al 1997

2. Infant temperament

   • A didn't take into account differences in temperament between children in formation of different attachment types
   • suggested for secure attachment a responsive mother & positive responses from baby needed
   • Child easy to establish relationship with may be more likely to have sensitive mothering
     • Research indicate possible link between i.t & parenting styles.
       • temperament need to be adequately measured

3. Family circumstances

   • attachment type may vary over time
   • setting with social & cultural environmental conditions
     • e.g. family undergoes stress

4. Reliability of classification

   • strange situation methodology been criticised and other attachment types proposed
     • e.g. D, insecure-disorganised/disorientated