Attachment

Attachment

1. Caregiver-Infant Interactions

   • Reciprocity: Alert Phases, Active Involvement
   • Interactional Synchrony
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (S): Controlled Conditions, Filmed 2. (L): Difficulty Interpreting Babies Behaviour 3. (L): Observations Don't Conclude Developmental Significance (CP): Evidence Backing Early Interaction Importance

2. Schaffer's Stages of Attachment

   • (1)Asocial Stage, (2)Indiscriminate Attachment, (3)Specific Attachment, (4)Multiple Attachment
   • Schaffer and Emerson's Research
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (S): Good External Validity (CP): Mother Unlikely to be good 'Objective Observer' 2. (L): Lacks Population Validity 3. (L): Poor Evidence for Asocial Stage 4. (S): Real World Application (Day Care)

3. Animal Studies

   • Lorenz's Research; Imprinting, Sexual Imprinting
     • Evaluation
       • 1. (L): Generalisability to Humans 2. (L): Conflicting Research (Chickens Imprinting on Gloves)
   • Harlow's Research; The Importance of Contact Comfort, Maternally Deprived Monkeys
     • Evaluation
       • 1. (S): Real World Application (Social Workers) 2. (L): Ethical Issues; Psychological Harm (CP): Cost-Benefit Analysis (Research has been Insightful)

4. Explanations of Attachment; Learning Theory

   • Drive Reduction Theory; Dollard and Miller
   • Classical Conditioning; Operant Conditioning
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (L): Animal Studies Counterpoint: Cannot be Generalised to Humans 2. (L): Methodological Issues (Supporting Research difficult to Generalise) (CP): Well controlled, Lab (Pavlov & Skinner) 3. (S): Explanatory Power 4. (L): Alternative Explanation - Bowlby

5. Exaplanations of Attachment; Bowlby's Theory

   • Monotropy; The Law of Continuity and The Law of Accumulated Separation
   • Social Releasers and The Critical Period
   • Internal Working Model and The Continuity Hypothesis
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (S): Support from Lorenz Surrounding Critical Period (CP): Can't be Generalised to Humans 2. (S): 'The Love Quiz' - Hazan and Shaver (CP): Social Desirability Bias (Questionnaire) 3. (L): Evidence of Multiple Attachments in Critical Period 4. (L): Alternative Explanation - Learning Theory

6. Types of Attachment; Ainsworth's 'Strange Situation'

   • Proximity Seeking, Exploration and Secure-Base Behaviour, Separation Anxiety, Stranger Anxiety, Response to Reunion
   • Secure Attachment(Type B), Insecure-Avoidant(Type A), Insecure-Resistant(Type C)
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (L): Lack Ecological Validity (CP): High Inter-Rater Reliability (94% Agreement) 2. (L): Methodological Issues - Overt Observation 3. (L): Incomplete Classification (Type D?) 4. (L): Ethical Issues (CP): Separation Stopped if Became too Distressing

7. Cultural Variations in Attachment

   • Individualist and Collectivist Cultures
   • Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg's Research
   • Tronick et al. Research
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (L): Imposed Etic - Strange Situation 2. (S) Meta-Analysis (High Population Validity) (CP): Biased Sample, 27/32 Induvidualist 3. (L): Comparing Countries not Cultures 4. (L): Alternative Biological Explanation - Bowlby

8. Bowbly's Theory of Maternal Deprivation

   • The Critical Period
   • Intellectual Development (Mental Retardation) and Emotional Development (Affectionless Psychopathy)
   • Bowlby's Research: 44 Thieves Study
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (S): Impact on Best Practice in Institutions 2. (L): Methodological Issues (Interviewer Bias, Retrospective Data) (CP): Natural Experiment, High External Validity 3. (L): Contradictory Research (Lewis) 4. (L): Distinction Between Privation and Deprivation not Clear

9. Romanian Orhpan Studies: Institutionalisation

   • Rutter et al. Research (Longitudinal) - 165 Romanian Orphans
   • The Bucharest early Intervention Project: Zenah et al.
   • Evaluation
     • 1. (S): Real-World Application 2. (S): Longitudinal Research (CP): Didn't Observe Effects as Adults 3. (L): Alternative Factors not Considered 4. (L): Methodological Issues - Rutter not Randomly Assigned
   • Effects of Institutionalisation; Disinhibited Attachment and Mental Retardation

10. Influence of Early Attachment on Later Relationships

    • The Love Quiz; Hazan and Shaver
    • Internal Working Model: Attachment Type and Effect on Adulthood and Childhood Relationships
    • Bailey et al.
    • Evaluation
      • 1. (S): Research Support; Kerns 2. (L): Research is Correlational (CP): Correlations Have Value - Show Link 3. (L): Methodological Issues; Self-report, Retrospective Data (CP): Standardised Questions 4. (L): Deterministic Theory

11. The Role of the Father

    • Schaffer and Emerson
    • Distinctive Role for Fathers; Grossman et al.
    • Fathers as Primary Attachment Figures; Field
    • Evaluation
      • 1. (L): Lack of Clarity Over Question 2. (L): Conflicting Evidence (CP): Single/Homosexual Parents Adopt Role 3. (S): Real-World Application - Advice 4. (L): Preconceptions Cause Observer Bias