applying psych. to personal relationships

applying psych. to personal relationships

1. what is attachment?

   • relationship & bonds between people
   • a lasting psychological connectedness between two humans
     • Bowlby 1969
   • an affectional tie that one person or animal forms- a tie which binds them together in space and endures over time
     • Ainsworth 1973

2. Behavioural theory

   • Dollard & Miller 1950
   • Classical conditioning

3. Evolutionary theory

   • Harlow's monkeys 1958
   • Bowlby 1958 maternal deprivation
     • innate
     • monotropic
     • critical period
     • long term consequences
       • delinquency
       • aggression
       • depression
       • affectionless psychopathy
     • criticisms
       • other figures- dads, grandparents
         • Schaffer & Emerson 1964
       • quality over quantity
         • Childcare studies
           • Belsky 2008

4. strange situation

   • Ainsworth
   • Secure attachment
     • 70%
     • distressed & happy on return
   • insecure avoidant
     • 15%
     • no distress & little interest on return
   • insecure resistant
     • 15%
     • intense distress & resists mother on return
   • disorganised attachment
     • Main (1990)
     • avoidant & ambivalent

5. adult romantic relationships

   • Hazen & Shaver found infants & caregivers and adults partners share key features
     • feel safe
     • engage in close intimate contact
     • insecure when other is inaccessible
     • Play with facial features & exhibit mutual fascination
   • implications of adult attachment theory
     • the same kind of attachment styles should be observed in adults & children
     • adult relationships should work similar to infant-caregiver
     • adult relationship should be a reflection of his experience with caregiver

6. help personal relationships

   • child attachment disorder
     • abuse, neglect, separation, hospitalisation
     • family/play therapy
   • adults
     • unresolved attachment issues
     • couple interaction
     • interpersonal neurobiology
       • pre-frontal cortex
     • attachment interview