Attachment

Attachment

1. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

   • family as a social system
   • family
     • the way that larger society influences a child
     • socializes the child
       • "makes human beings human"
     • filter out wider influences to affect development
     • bi-directional influences
       • not just the parent that influences the child, the child influences the parent
   • ecological systems theory
     • sees the child as developing within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment
     • bio-ecological model
       • a child biologically influences dispositions join with environmental forces to mold development
     • chronosystem
       • life changes
       • outer system
         • includes major life events, environmental events and historical events that occur during development
     • attempt to show how children grow and develop
       • steadily increasing groups of influence

2. why do we have families

   • immature young that have large period of child dependancy
   • paternal certainty
   • increases chance of survival
   • ensures continuation of genes
   • reproduction
     • replacement of members
   • socialisation
   • emotional support

3. Bowlbys theory of attachment

   • attachment have evolved and promotes survival
   • biological aspects
     • imprinting - Lorenz
   • stages to attachment
     • pre-attachment stage
     • development of attachment
     • 'clear cut' attachment
     • reciprocal relationship
   • Evaluation
     • Strengths
       • both psychoanalytic and biological aspects
       • stages based on observable behvaiours
         • secure base
         • social referencing
       • attachment styles quite stable over time - not much change
     • Weaknesses
       • too prescriptive
       • focuses on mother, little on father
         • is the same form of attachment created with the father???
       • different family settings?? ie multiple carers

4. critical/sensitive period

   • Hodges and Tizard
     • 65 children placed in residential care before 4 months
     • @ 16 years old had secure relationships with adopted parents
     • those returned to mothers had poor relationships
   • Field
     • depressed mothers
     • infants slept poorly, elevated cortisol levels
     • relationships missed critical period
     • impact can be reduced if another caregiver has warm relationship

5. strange situation

   • advantages
     • naturalistic
     • doesn't reply on self report
     • compares with at home studies
   • disadvantages
     • still isn't entirely 'real'
     • only based on 20 minutes
       • child might have a bad day
     • mothers may not behave normally
       • they understand they are being watched
         • this may affect child's behaviour

6. ·

7. attachment across cultures

   • Van Ijzendoom & Kroonenberg
     • secure attachment most common across all cultures
       • with the exception of Israel due to multiple care givers
     • Japan
       • more resistant in style, due to first few years close contact with mothers
     • Germany
       • more avoidant attachment because independence is valued, children are used to doing things on their own

8. long term consequences

   • Scroufe et al
     • infant who were secure had higher rates of social compatance and popularity
     • insecure attachment was associated with risky sexual behaviour in adolescence
     • internal working model influences next generation relationships