Attachment

Attachment

1. A two- way, enduring, emotional tie to a specific other person

   • Reciprocity
     • "Two-way", Infant and carer are both active contributors in the interaction and respond to each other
   • Interactional Synchrony
     • The infant and carers behaviours and emotions are synchronised because they are moving in the same pattern (rhythmic)
     • Isabella et al, observed 30 mothers and infants and found more insatnces of interactional synchrony were more likely to be securely attachment
       • mostly correlational research and doesn't tell us the purpose or thinkings behind

2. Stages of attachment

   • 1) Pre-attachment stage
     • from 6 weeks, infants are attracted to humans
   • 2) Indiscriminate attachment stage
     • 3 to 7/8 months, infants begin to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces yet still allow strangers to interact
   • 3) Discriminate attachment stage
     • 7/8 months onwards, develop specific attachments and become stressed when sepeartes, avoid strangers
   • 4) Multiple attachment stage
     • 9 months onwards, form strong emotional ties, fear of strangers weakens yet mother remains strong
   • Schaffer proposed stages

3. Development of attachment

   • Rutter said all attachments has equal importance
     • Bowlby said that infants form one primary attchment that is the most important
   • Males as primary caregivers?
     • Geiger showed that fathers play is more exciting and unpredictable
     • Hardy said that males are less able to detect low levels of stress and so less suitable
     • Lamb found that males are able to develop sensitivity suggesting its not a biological ability limited to women
     • less behavioural problems and able to regulate emotions
       • reducing stress and improving self-esteem in mothers
       • no fatherfigure, children have high levels of aggression
   • Schaffer and Emerson
     • group of working class mothers and children were observed every month for the first year (longitudinal study)
     • attachment measured by; seperation protest (infant being left)
     • measured by stranger anxiety; stranger starting each visit by approaching child
     • seperation protest began at 6-8 months and stranger anxiety at 7-9 months
     • strongly attached infants had quick responding mothers
     • most infants went on to develop multiple attchments

4. Animla studies of attachment