AQA Psychology - Attachments

AQA Psychology - Attachments

1. What is attachment?

   • Attachment is a long enduring emotional tie between two people were affection and the desire to be close is mutual.
   • Maccoby - Signs of attachment. -Joy on reunion, The caregiver is welcome with hugs and smiles on return. -Proximity Seeking, wanting to maintain closeness at all times. This can be shown by watching and crawling. -Orientation, attention is directed to the other. Attempts are made to engage them in interaction. - Distress on separation, can be shown through crying and upset when babies are separated from their caregiver. -Stranger anxiety, a fear of strangers shown through upset when around unfamiliar faces. -Secure base effect, the baby's caregiver acts as reassurance for the child and will often explore more willingly.
     • Evaluation - Although these signs are used to detect securely attached infants in research they cannot be accurate measures of attachment as these behaviours may reflect the child's personality or mood. Therefore they may not be valid measures of attachment.

2. Bowlby's Attachment theory 1940

   • Bowlby believed that attachments were instinctive which enables a baby to survive to adulthood and reproduce.

3. What is a bond?

   • A bond is a less intense version of an attachment