Attachment: Issues and Debates

Attachment: Issues and Debates

1. Psychology as a Science

   • Ainsworth and Bell's study took place in a controlled environment, where researchers quantitatively recorded data on children's behaviours

2. Holism

   • Development of Attachment also links to biological perspectives (such as evolution) and cognition (the perception that caregivers are safe)

3. Situational Explanation

   • Changing children's surroundings lead to a demonstration of changes in their behaviour

4. Conducting Socially Sensitive Research

   • Although not unethical, research which involves separating a child and their caregiver could be controversial

5. Usefulness of Research

   • Research into attachment between children and their caregivers has demonstrated that their behaviour can be controlled so long as an attachment figure is provided

6. Reliability

   • Studying attachment in children within controlled environments under a standardised procedure aid in replicability and external reliability

7. Validity

   • Studying attachment in children within controlled environments could affect ecological validity

8. Sampling Bias

   • Research into attachment between children and their caregiver amongst different societies may be needed, as cultural expectations may differ