Explanations of attachment

Explanations of attachment

1. Learning theory

   • Proposes all behaviour is learnt rather innate. We are blank slates - behaviourists.
     • Classical conditioning = UCS (food) - UCR (pleasure) / NS (mother) - no response / NS + UCS (conditioning) / CS - CR
       • Drive reduction theory ignored = it only explains a limited number of behaviours - there are many things that reduce discomfort. Also does not explain how secondary reinforcers work as they do not directly reduce discomfort yet are reinforcing i.e money
     • Operant conditioning = (Skinner) = A drive is a motivated behaviour and has discomfort so when an infant is fed this drive is gone and produces a feeling of pleasure - this is rewarding (positive reinforcement). The behaviour of crying will be repeated to get mothers attention to have food and reduce discomfort.
     • Social learning theory = Further dev of learning theory. (bandura) Modelling can be used to explain behaviours. Affectionate behaviour is modelled. Also parent teach us to behave and reward us if do so.
       • An alternate explanation = One of the main reasons it was rejected was because bowlbys theory is better. It explains why attachments form, whereas learning theory can only explain how they might form.
     • Based on research with animals = Skinner and his piegons. Behaviourits argue animals and human are very alike as behaviour building blocks are constructed from the same stimuli; making generalisation easier.
     • Contact comfort is more important than food = The main limitation of learning theory is it suggest food is the key element for attachments forming.
     • Explanatory power = Infants do learn through association & reinforcement. Attention and responsiveness are also a key factor to consider. Infants could copy this behaviour to apply to later relationships.

2. Bowlby's theory

   • Why attachments form = it is an evolved bahviour important for survival. By remaining close to an adult chances of survival have increased. The attachment has to work both ways to ensure maximum survival.
     • Is attachment adaptive = important in emotional dev. if attachments for after 3 months its a long time if in the wild, monkeys cling as soon as they are born. when infants start moving then attachment is important for survial.
   • How attachments form = Within the critical period (3 - 6 months), afterwards it becomes increasingly more difficult. Sensitivity is a main help in forming it linking to reciprocity and interactional synchrony.
     • Social releasers = Ensure attachment dev - these innate mechanism elict caregiving.
     • Monotropy = One special emotional bond - primary. Secondary ones act as a safety net.
       • Multiple attachments VS Monotropy = all attachments integrated into one internal working model. Secondaary attachments like the role of the fathers is crucial but research from glaser shows otherwise.
     • Actually a sensitive period = Evidence from Rutter shows it is possible after 6 months just a tad harder.
     • Alternate explanation = the tempermant hypothesis =- an infants innate personality may explain attachment behaviour. If easy temp than more likley to be strongly attahced since we can easily interact. Vice versa.
   • Consequences of attachment = Monotropy is important because it forms a mental representation called the internal working model (predicts environment from past experience). Acts as a template for furtire relationships, in the short term used to influence caregiver behaviour. The continuity hypothesis proposes individuals who are strongly attached in infancy continue to be socially and emotionally competent, if not have difficulties.
     • Continuity hypothesis = parent - child Minessota longitudinal study shows support.

3. The strange situation (Mary Ainsworth 1978)

   • Aim to see how infants behave under mild stress and also novelty.
   • Procedure = novel research room (9x9). consisted of 8 episodes, each designed to highlight specific behaviour like seperation & stranger anxiety and reunion behaviour. Data was collected by observers look at proximity seeking behaviours and contact and searching.
     • Findings = A total of 106 middle class infants were observed. Crying was observed more into the experiment. 3 main patterns of behaviour were found.
       • Secure attachment (type B) = Have harmonious and cooperative behaviour interactions with caregiver. Show little distress and wont cry if carer leaves. When anxious seek carer to be soothed. Can happily seek and engage in social behaviour. Caregiver is a secure base for independence.
       • Insecure avoidant (type A) = Tend to avoid social interaction with others. Show little response to being left or with strangers. Do not cling if picked up and happy to explore but have high anxiousness.
       • Insecure resistent (type C) = Seeks and resists intimacy and social interaction. Distress can be shown to seperation and with strangers. On reunion conflciting desires, can be aggressive.
       • Other types of attachment = After analysing over 200 SS videos a fourth type was discoverd - insecure disorgainsed (type D). it is shown by having inconsistent behaviour. BI polar
       • Real world application = A project helps to teach caregivers advice on how to better see signs of distress and to increasing their understanding of being anxious. It showed less carergivers being disorderd form 60% to 32%, support attachment a strength.
         • Maternal reflective functioning = Secure attachments are linked to maternal sensitivity, however other studies have found low correlations . while maternal reflective functioning allows one to understand and guess what others are feeling.
     • Observations have high reliability = Inter observer reliability is used so judges compare the data, perfect agreement showed observations were reliable.
       • Low internal validity = Concerns the extent to which we are measuring what we intended to measure. Does the TSS actually measure the quality of relationships? Children can behave differently depending on what parent they are with so personal characteristics affect the experiment. The monotropy bond influecnes how other attachment figures are treated - schema sort of.