Developmental Psychology • Chapter 4

Mary Ainsworth Attachment Styles

1. Secure Attachment 2. Insecure Attachment

Attachment in the making Phase

4 to 7 months: the second phase of John Bowlby's developmental attachment sequence • Slight preference for primary caregivers, but still responds to everyone​

Proximity Seeking Behavior

John Bowlby believed a survival response was activated by threats occurring at any age​, typically by two different types of threats: internal and external.

Evolutionary Based Theory on Attachment Response

John Bowlby believed attachment was in our genetics to allow us to survive and that human beings have a critical period during the first year of life when the attachment response is programmed to emerge.

Threats to Survival

John Bowlby believed there were two categories of threats to our survival... • May be activated by our internal state​: toddlers stay near their caregiver when sick, you text your significant other when you are sick​ • May be evoked by dangers in the external world​: a scary dog may make a toddler run into their parents arms, a nasty comment makes us make a call to our parent, spouse, best friend etc.

Inner working model of attachment

John Bowlby's idea that infant attachment determines how we relate to others and feel about ourselves predicts later development.​ • Research supports this model.​ • Attachment styles can change over time!​ • Life stress may change attachment from secure to insecure.​ • Responsive caregiving can change attachment from insecure to secure!

attachment

the positive emotional bond that develops between a child and a particular individual

Synchrony

the reciprocal aspect of the attachment relationship, with a caregiver and infant responding emotionally to each other in a sensitive, exquisitely attuned way • Ainsworth & Bowlby—parent's sensitivity to baby's signals are foundation for secure attachment ​

Clear-Cut (focused) Phase

7 months-toddlerhood: the third phase of John Bowlby's developmental attachment sequence; need to have parent near • Stranger-anxiety and separation anxiety appear​ • Social referencing

Biologically Programmed Attachment Response

A drive to be physically close to one's mother.

Working Model Phase

About age 3 years: the fourth phase of John Bowlby's developmental attachment sequence • child develops cognitive inner representation of attachment figure (mental representation of a caregiver, allows children over age 3 to be physically apart from the caregiver)​ • when child is under stress, the need to make contact is very important.​ • responsive caregiver will fortify attachment bond​

Poverty

As defined by the federal government: • An income level that allows a household to pay for shelter, food, and clothing, with a small amount left over.​ • In 2009, more than 1 in 4 children under age 6 was living under the poverty line

NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2006)​

Based on their study quality of parenting and attachment relationship at home outweigh time spent in day care •Beginning early in life, long hours in day care predict an elevated risk of "acting out" behaviors until age 15.​ • NOTE! Correlations are weak!!​ • For certain at-risk infants and toddlers (difficult temperament, boys living in poverty...etc), high-quality day care can protect against behavior problems later

John Watson

Behaviorist that minimized human attachment need. Appeared hostile to the idea of attachment​. Crusaded against the dangers of "too much" mother love. Believed "maternal reinforcing stimulus" created infant's need to be close to caregiver​

Pre-attachment Phase

Birth to 3 months: the first phase of John Bowlby's developmental attachment sequence; when infants show no visible signs of attachment. • Reflex dominated time​ • 2 months, social smile (example of automatic reflex, not in response to attachment figure)​

John Bowlby

Conducted clinical work with children who were hospitalized and separated from their mothers​. Promoted idea that a primary attachment figure is crucial to healthy development​. Believed there was no such thing as too much motherly love​. Had an evolutionary based theory on attachment response. (late 1960s)

Importance of Attachment Styles

Early attachment styles lay the foundation for what could be either healthy or unhealthy development.​ • may change over time • Infancy is a special zone of sensitivity for our ability to form relationships

Psychosocial Toddlerhood Stage

Erik Erikson's psychosocial stage from 1-2 years of age pertaining to the task of autonomy versus shame and doubt. • Task of toddlerhood: to be autonomous selves​ • Understanding of "self" and self-conscious emotions appear​ • May feel proud or ashamed​ • Need to explore​ • Erikson's negative outcome: Shame and Doubt • Refers to the situation when a toddler's drive for autonomy is not fulfilled. But feeling shameful and doubtful is also vital to shedding babyhood and entering into the human world.

Role of Caregiver's Other Attachments

Hard to be a sensitive parent when your other relationships are failing. ​(ex. divorce, separation, fighting) • Synchrony with infant is difficult when other relationships are failing. ​ • Lack of support produces caregiver stress.​

Strange Situation

Mary Ainsworth's method for assessing infant attachment to the mother, based on a series of brief separations and reunions with the mother in a playroom situation • Measures individual variations in attachment response during "clear-cut" stage​

Securely Attached

One type of attachment style categorized by Mary Ainsworth • Child uses primary caregiver as a secure base from which to explore​ • Child reacts with joy upon caregiver's return​ • When the parent leaves they may or may not become highly distressed what is important is when she returns. ​

Insecurely Attached

One type of attachment style categorized by Mary Ainsworth • Insecurely attached infants act in one of three ways: avoidant, anixous-ambivalent, or disorganized

Disorganized

One way insecurely attached children may act • Bizarre behaviors; may freeze, look frightened, may flee​ • Often result of abuse​ • behave in a bizarre manner when the attachment figure returns. ​

Anxious-Ambivalent

One way insecurely attached children may act • Clingy, fearful, fear of exploration​ • Severe distress when mother leaves; contradictory emotions upon return; often inconsolable • child displays intense distress when reunited with caregiver​

Avoidant

One way insecurely attached children may act • rarely show separation anxiety or much emotion positive or negative when the attachment figure returns • Appears detached; indifferent upon mother's return

Self-Control

Research demonstrates:​ • Toddlers at the high end of the fearless, joyous, and angry continuum show less "morality" at age 4.​ • Power Assertion doesn't work when disciplining?​ • Better to redirect behavior and provide positive reinforcement ​

Konrad Lorenz

Researcher who focused on critical attachment periods in baby birds, a concept he called "imprinting". Believed in biologically programmed attachment response. (1935)

Harry Harlow

Studied attachment in monkeys with artificial mothers. Separated monkeys from actual mother and gave them a wire mesh "mother" (which offered food from a bottle) and a cloth mother who was soft and provided comfort. Monkeys stayed glued to the cloth mother only making occasional trips to eat from the wire mom. Found that contact comfort was important for bonding. When bred later on they were not good parents themselves. (1958)

Temperment

The characteristic behavioral style of approaching the world. A baby's temperament and quality of caregiving will influence attachment style.​ • Easy: happy and easily soothed​ • Slow to warm up: more wary babies​ • Difficult (no clear signals): hypersensitive, unusually agitated, reactive to every sight and sound. ​ Fragile children may need more nurturing caregiving to be labeled as secure. An easy baby may need less. ​

Socialization in Toddlerhood

The process by which children are taught to obey the norms of society and to behave in socially appropriate ways​. • Self-regulation is difficult at age 2.​ • Improves dramatically from age 2 to 4​ • Exuberant, joyful, fearless toddlers more difficult to socialize!​​

Low Income

Those earning within 200% of the poverty line.​ • In 2009, 1 in 2 (44%) children

Social Referencing

a baby's checking back and monitoring a caregiver for cues as to how to behave while exploring; linked to clear-cut attachment

Day Care Center

a day-care arrangement in which a large number of children are cared for at a licensed facility by paid providers

Family Day Care

a day-care arrangement in which a neighbor or relative cares for a small number of children in her home for a fee

Self-Regulation

ability to self-act; gain control of ones behaviors and emotions​

Power Assertion

an ineffective socialization strategy that involves yelling, screaming, or hitting out in frustration at a child

Imprinting

an intense form of attachment

maternal reinforcing stimulus

babies are reinforced to be close to their mother due to the fact that they provide them with food

Stranger Anxiety

beginning at about 7 months of age when a baby grows wary of people other than a primary caregiver

Ethologists

early evolutionary psychologists

Social Smile

occurs at 2 months of age; John Bowlby's pre-attachment phase; example of an automatic reflex • Evokes love and care. • Will happen to any individual not just the primary caregiver. • Not a display of attachment

Goodness of Fit

refers to the match between a child's temperament and the environmental demands with which the child must cope • ideal parenting strategy • Minimize vulnerabilities: provide quite study places for examples​ • Accentuate strengths: encouraging children to do activities that they are talented at

Separation Anxiety

signal of clear-cut attachment when a baby gets upset as a primary caregiver departs

Socializing an Exuberant Toddler

• Develop a strong attachment bond.​ • Resist power assertion.​

Socializing a Shy Toddler

• Do not overprotect.​ • Gently expose a shy toddler to new situations.

Effects/Impacts of Poverty on Development

• During childhood, poverty may compromise health (e.g., low birth weight, stressed mother [may not be able to provide the child with the attention and love that they need.]).​ • Poverty may have long-term educational impact. • Poverty during first 4 years of life makes it statistically less likely for a child to graduate from high school.​ • May enter school "left behind"​ • Less access to quality preschools, enriching toys, trips to museums​ • Less concrete breathing space to learn (e.g., substandard housing; dangerous neighborhood)​ • All of these points can impact development.

Head Start Program

• Federal program offering high-quality day care and other services to children ages 3-5 from low-income families​ • Preparation for entrance to kindergarten​ • Helps provide these children with learning opportunities that they may not have available at home. ​ • If they are high quality head start programs, research shows they do seem to have an effect on these children's lives​

Early Head Start Program

• Federal program that provides counseling and other services to low-income parents and children under age 3​ • focuses on helping parents be better caregivers, conduct home visits and other services • If they are high quality head start programs, research shows they do seem to have an effect on these children's lives

Forces influencing attachment styles

• Nurture provided by primary caregiver​ • Infant's temperament​ • Other environmental forces (stress, relationships, finances, etc.)

Caregiver of Securely Attached Infants

• are often sensitive caregivers • are more attuned to infant's signals

Caregiver of Insecurely Attached Infants

• misread signals​ • may be rejecting, disengaged, or depressed