Attachment

Attachment

1. Definitions

   • Schaffer 1993: “a close emotional relationship between two persons, characterised by a mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity.”
   • Ainsworth (1970) : “An affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one- a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time.”

2. Maccoby identified 4 key behaviours

   • Seeking proximity to caregiver
   • Distress on separation
   • Pleasure when reunited
   • General orientation of behaviour to primary caregiver

3. Secure attachment

   • Strong and contented attachment of infant to his/her caregiver, which develops as a result of sensitive responding.
   • Secure infants: seek proximity with the returning parent or greet them from afar

4. Insecure attachment

   • Develops as a result of the caregivers lack of responding to the infants needs.
   • Avoidant infants: avoid the parent upon their return
   • Resistant infants: passively or actively show hostility upon parents return

5. Learning Theory

   • Classical conditioning
     • Pavlov’s dogs
       • Pavlov found that dogs began to salivate as soon as they saw the researcher who gave them the food, even before seeing the food
       • So Pavlov wanted to see if he could ‘condition’ dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell
     • Example: Mother is afraid of spiders, mother screams when she sees a spider, child witnesses this behaviour and assiciates spiders with fear, child becomes afraid of spiders
   • Operant conditioning