PSY311 Lecture 4

What are the characteristics of the Goal-corrected partnership stage

• two-sided relationship- both mother and baby have own requirements from each other ex. mom stays home w baby, baby plays while mom does chores • understanding of parental needs-very limited, but beginning ex. baby occupies himself while mother goes to bathroom; important that parents foster this so they have time alone + communicate that it will not affect their relationship w child • control system mechanism- We set a goal and we maintain it-need and proximity of the child - We try to keep it at a consistent level or compensate if it gets too low or too high • internal working model-symbolic mental representations to guide child's behaviour which includes emotional and cognitive components

Why are children increasingly less in need for close proximity with mom?

- Curiosity about outside world -Cognitive ability to form mental representation of mom, which permits the development of Internal Working Models which:

What does the sensitivity hypothesis propose

- Sensitivity Hypothesis: Security of attachment is determined by the degree to which mother was sensitive and responsive in handling infant during early years If the mother was responsive is the child more likely to develop a secure attachment

What are the 4 attachment styles and what percentage of individuals are of this attachment style

- Type A: Insecure/avoidant -20% - Type B: Secure -67% - Type C: Insecure/resistant-10% - Type D: Disorganized

What are the characteristics of internal working models Test Q

-Exist outside of consciousness - shaped by outcomes of infant's proximity seeking experiences o Ex: Johnny sought proximity from mom, and mom provided it daily. Child developed an internal working model that mom can be trusted. -individual differences exist based upon outcomes of proximity seeking behaviour during infancy - stable after first year but can change as a result of future experiences

What are the two evolutionary functions of attachment (2)

Attachment helps babies develop a sense of trust in other people, in themselves, and in the world around them. When babies are held closely and have warm physical contact when they are being fed, they learn to trust that their need for food will be met. The second action is when the caregiver responds to the infant's distress/crying immediately, the infant develops a sense of trust that the care0giver will be there when they need them. This is adaptive as the development of trust during early periods shape the quality of our relationships with both ourselves and others over the course of lifespan.

Stages in development of attachment What is the second stage? At what age does it occur

Attachment in the making 2-7 months

Distinction between attachment and attachment behavior Differentiate between the two

Attachment: Internal system that organizes the child's feelings - not directly observable Attachment behavior-external means of expressing these feelings- example crying, clinging etc.

Describe the Type D: Disorganized attachment style and what behaviors do children display in the strange situation

Behavior in strange situation did not fall into any of the categories. Child Showed patterns of type A, B or C When reunited with their mothers they act disorganized and disoriented- freeze in the middle of their movements, or engage in repetitive behaviors, such as rocking,crying for parent at door and then running quickly away when door opens These children seem to be apprehensive and fearful of their attachment figure and are unable to cope with distress in a consistent and organized way even though their mother is available.

According to Bowlby, first attachment must be to the mother. Explain why Does empirical evidence support this? What is the theoretical reason why/why not

But there is little evidence to support this- His theory suggests that if the mother dies then the child will not be able to form attachment with any one else However, this is not accurate- in order for an attachment to form it: -doesn't have to be parent- siblings, dad, grandparents -doesn't matter if male or female- form attachment to fathers that engage in play satisfaction of physical needs is not necessary-does not have to be the parent who feeds,burps, changes the baby Continuous daily care is not necessary

Distinction between attachment as a biologically based system within an individual and a dyadic relationship between individuals

Child is biologically predisposed to develop an attachment to a significant other as it increases the likelihood of survival. So we make a distinction between that and dyadic relationship (between two people)

How is attachment described

Child's first relationship is generally referred to as an attachment. Relationship is usually very strong and reciprocal- both parent and child have a hard time being away from each other Visible signs of attachment can be seen in the warm greetings children give these people.Children also make efforts to stay near these people in unfamiliar situations

Stages in development of attachment What is the third stage? At what age does it occur

Clear cut attachment 7-24 months

What does the psychoanalytical concepts suggest about attachment

Emphasis is on satisfying children's needs with an emphasis on physical rather than on emotional needs

Attachment - Individual Differences Describe Ainsworth's Strange Situation" paradigm What is the IV and the DV

Experimental procedure manipulates the level of exposure of an infant to strange situations IV- level of strangeness DV-child's behavior

Stages in development of attachment What is the fourth stage? At what age does it occur

Goal-corrected partnership 24 months-

Psychoanalytical Concepts What experiment supports the Psychoanalytical concepts Explain the study conducted by Harlow and Zimmerman (monkeys)

Harlow and Zimmerman experiment: infant monkeys were reared by to different "mothers" - one made of stiff wired with a bottle, and the other was a mother made of cloth without a bottle. They tested to see which mother the monkey would go to when scared The monkeys ran towards the cloth mother. when scared.

What are the characteristics of the pre attachment stage

Indiscriminate social responsiveness -cannot differentiate between specific individuals -don't have the cognitive abilities to remember specific persons -However, if the caregiver is competent /ensures that the needs are met the child will prefer to be handled by that figure

What does the competence hypothesis propose

Individual differences in security of attachment predict individual differences later in life A child is more competent in the long run if they have a secure attachment early on as infants

What are the two evolutionary functions of attachment

Infants are biologically pre-wired to develop attachment behaviours with caregivers through crying, smiling etc. as they provide safety and security for the infant. Attachment is adaptive as it enhances the infant's chance of survival. For instance, child is more likely to survive if parent/caregiver is around as they provide physical protection. Caregivers also ensure that ensuring that the infants psychosocial as well as physical needs will be met, thus increasing survival.

Describe the Type C: Insecure/resistant (10%) attachment style and what behaviors do children display in the strange situation

Intense distress when the mother leaves The infant avoids the stranger - shows fear of the stranger The infant approaches the mother, but resists contact, may even push her away The infant cries more and explores less than the other two types Why is the child ambivalent in this situation? - Mom is not reliable or consistent in caregiving

According to Bowlby, first attachment must be to the mother. Explain why

Mother biologically pre-wired to behave in a protective and caring way- she is automatically responsive to the infant's cries, smiles etc. The infant is also completely dependent on the mother for nutrition (via beast feeding) Also, Oxytocin released during breast feeding facilitates the expression of maternal behaviour. Skin to skin contact with mother also facilitates attachment Mother's presence is ensured at birth

Stages in development of attachment What is the first stage? At what age does it occur

Pre-attachment stage 0-2 months

What are the two concepts that Bowlby's Theory of attachment is based on

Psychoanalytical concepts Ethology

What are the characteristics of the Attachment in the making stage

Recognition of familiar people Social smiles begin providing the context for attachment to development Perceptual behaviour is there and cognitive behaviour starts to begin Start to remember faces and they are associating the face to positive comforting events

How is the sensitivity hypothesis tested

Run the strange situation paradigm Dependent Measure: security of attachment Independent Measure: using direct observation in a naturalistic environment or You get the parents to do self-reports, get permission to install a webcam in their home, or ask to come to a lab. Problematic: Once we enter an observational environment, the mother may act differently more consistently because they know they are being watched.

What are the 4 characteristics of attachment? What is attachment characterized by? Provide examples

Selectivity - focus on specific individuals/attachment towards a specific individual or usually a limited number of individuals- Example: baby only wants mother to put her to bed and not aunt Seeking of physical proximity-child is behaving in a manner that is going to bring them closer to the attachment figure-Example a baby wants his father to pick him up, hold him and put him to bed Provision of comfort and security -may be physical or psychological . Baby stops crying in a new environment when mother appears Production of separation distress-distressed when attachment figure leaves- crying, following etc

What are the characteristics of the Clear cut attachment stage

Separation protest-, get upset when an adult on whom they rely, leaves them. Fear of strangers-When the child shows fear of strangers we can see that the child can tell the difference between attachment figures and others -this is adaptive as some strangers may not be well intended Intentionality-intentionally seeking proximity through clinging, crawling towards parent, child lifting their arms, following etc.

Describe the Type B: Secure (67%) attachment style and what behaviors do children display in the strange situation

Show moderate distress when mother leaves but greet mothers positively when she returns Avoidant of stranger when alone, but friendly when the mother is present infants also were secure enough to explore the novel environment when the mother was present- mother's presence gave them confidence

Why does early attachment typically occur during the third quarter of the first year?

The development of cognition: • recognition memory - child has mental representation of the attachment figure and can use these representation as a means of comparison when they see a stranger. Using the mental representation, the child is able to understand that the stranger and attachment figure are two different people • object (and person) permanence - child remains aware of an object during its absence

What type of parenting results in type D attachment style?

When faced with threat the child turns to the primary caregiver, which can be a mother or father, with the expectation they will receive protection and reassurance. In disorganized attachment, the parent reacts to the child's upset by being frightened or frightening to the child, themself -- compounding the child's fear. Parents can frighten their children in different, often unconscious, ways. It might be through abuse or neglect, but it could also be through unresolved trauma and loss in the parent's own life that leaves him or her feeling afraid, which unintentionally scares the child.

According to Bowlby who is the infant first attached to?

a single person, usually the mother

What are the functions of internal working models (2) Test Q

ability to predict and interpret other people's behaviour and appropriately plan responses Example- a child seeking proximity from their parent, the parent does not live up to the child's expectations and thus, the child does not trust the parent

What does the ethological theory of attachment emphasize

emphasizes the evolutionary purposes of behaviour - the child is "biologically pre-wired" to develop attachment behaviour in order to ensure survival

Onset of First Attachment What is the key criteria identifying the onset of attachment

key criteria: what happens when child is separated from mother

What is the key factor necessary for attachment?

key factor - quality of interaction - fun and playful stimulation and provision of sensitive and responsive care

How is early attachment described? When does it typically occur?

little tolerance, especially in unfamiliar situations - typically begins around 7-8 months along with fear of strangers

What does the evidence from the Harlow and Zimmerman experiment suggest

physical/ skin to skin contact is very important. Physical contact provides a sense of comfort to infants Example- best way to console a crying child is by hugging

What are the functions of internal working models (1) Test Q

provide rules to guide both behaviour and feelings towards significant others. Ex: children who grow up in orphanages realize that when they cry, no one comes to them; therefore their internal working model is to not cry. Whereas other children know that when they cry, a significant other who comes to them will attend to their needs

What two hypotheses determine attachment

sensitivity hypothesis competence hypothesis

Describe the Type A: Insecure/avoidant (20%) attachment style and what behaviors do children display in the strange situation

showed little distress over the mother's absence in the Strange Situation, do not show distressed when left with a stranger and they actively avoided her on her return They turned away from their mother, increased their distance from her, and paid her no attention Why? Child may be attached to some one else- example father