week 1: reading

week 1: reading

1. by the end of 1st year, infant will develop a loving attachment to a caregiver. visible signs of attachment = broad smile, stretching out arms, initiating physical contact, making efforts even in unfamiliar situations

2. PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY: infants become attached to their mother as associate her with gratification from the instictual drive to obtain oral pleasure

   • the mother who breastfeeds is particuarly important, infant becomes attached to breast > mother.
     • X - incorrect as children can form attachments to mothers who do not breastfeed

3. Learning Theory - drive reduction suggests mother becomes attachment figure because she reduces the childs primary drive of hunger

   • wanting the mothers presence becomes a secondary' leanred drive as she is paired with relieving hunger/tension (Sears et al. 1957)
   • Harlow 1959 counter to drive-reduction theory >> rhesus monkeys spent more 17-18 hours a day with cloth mother. especially in moments of stress
     • operant conditioning - theorists suggest the basis of attachment is not feeding but visual, auditory and tactile stimulation, GERWITZ 1969
       • Babies attached because they are the most important and reliable source of stimulation
         • all these interactions continue over months and they become attached.
   • Schaffer & Emerson 1964 - similar finding in humans, infants who provided food but little affection spent more time with fathers who stimulated and played with them. more likely to form an attachment to the father
   • central point of learning theory = attachments are not automatic, develops over time as a result of satisfying rels with responsive adults. - cannot explain children who attach to abusive parents, therefore; correct but incomplete.

4. cognitive development theory = PIAGET, other important components of the development of attachment = infants ability to differentiate between familiar/ unfamiliar people. object permanance that they still exist when they cant be seen.

   • Baillargeon 2002 - infants as young as 3.5 months have beginnings of object permanance, Piaget claimed 7-8 months
   • helps explain the gradual shift in the way the attachment is expressed. As infants grow- the proximity of infant-caregiver matters less as children are more capable of expressing through words, smiles and looks
   • more able to understand certain temporary absences = less upset by separation, Providing an explanation for departure lead to less distress in 2yr olds > not saying anything when mothers left. Weinraub & Lewis

5. ethological thoery - the more complete explanation used by most psychologists. Lorenz 1952, imprinting in ducklings, develop an attachment to 1st object they saw during brief critical period after birth.

   • attachment has similar biological influences/ instinctual. important for the protection and survival of the species. Due to biologically programmes responses of the infant and caregiver - a mutual attachment forms
     • crying/smiling/following >> elicit the care and protection the baby needs and promotes contact between the infant and the parent
     • using parents as secure base for exploration. Bowlby emphasises the active role of infants early social signalling (smiling/crying). Suggested the mother is the best caregiver- but not the only caregiver
     • importance of skin-skin contact hours after birth - Klaus and Kenell. immediate separation after birth interupted fundamental processes between the mother and newborn. mother who experienced early contact were more likely to develop deep maternal bonds, breastfeed and high sensitivity,

6. schaffer and emerson 1964- 93% of children had attachments to mother, 7% to someone else. onyl 5% were EXCLUSIVELY attached to their mother. at 18 months, 75% were also attached to their father + 45% to grandparent