Attachment booklet
1
, Contents:
3) Caregiver-infant interactions
4) Schaffer and Emersons stages of attachment
5-6) Role of the father
7) Animal studies – Lorenz
8) Animal studies – Harlow
9) Learning theory of attachment
10) Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
11-12) Ainsworth’s strange situation
13) Cultural variations in attachment
14-15) Bowlby’ theory of maternal deprivation
16) Romanian orphan studies
17) Influence of early attachment on relationships
Caregiver-infant interactions
Reciprocity
Mutual turn-taking form of interaction, where both contribute to the interaction by
responding to the others signals and cues, eliciting a further response from the other.
2
, Babies have an ‘Alert phase’, signalling they are ready for interaction. Research from
Feldman et al shows that mothers usually pick up on this 2/3rd of the time. Feldman
also found that interaction became increasingly frequent after 3 months, as both have
learned to pay more attention to each other.
Babies are actively involved in the process, as they can initiate interactions.
Brazelton et al describes it as a ‘dance’, where each person can lead, and the other
responds
Interactional synchrony
A simultaneous interaction, where their infant and caregiver act rhythmically,
matching and coordinating both behaviour and emotional states.
Meltzoff and Moore observed this behaviour originating in children aged 2
weeks old. An adult would display 1 of 3 faces, then the baby’s response was filmed
and labelled by observers and found more likely to mirror the adult
Isabella et al believed interactional synchrony was important for attachment. She
studied 30 babies and mothers to assess the degree of synchrony, finding high levels
of synchrony were linked to stronger attachment
+ Filmed Observations – Allows for recordings to be analysed later, to prevent
psychologists from missing any important behaviours that weren’t picked up on the
first time. Also allows for other psychologists to observe and establish inter-observer
reliability.
- Research through inferences – Babies’ behaviours are difficult to interpret due to
lack of range, and inability to explain. Bremner found difference between behavioural
response and understanding. Suggests research findings tells very little. Lowers the
internal validity
- Developmental importance – Feldman says that reciprocity / synchrony are just
names given to patterns of behaviours. Although they can be frequently observed, the
observations tell us very little about the purpose of the behaviours.
Counterpoint – Isabella et al found high levels of interactional synchrony is
linked to a stronger attachment. Opposes Feldman as it suggests importance in
development for later in life
Schaffer’s stages of attachment
Research by Schaffer and Emerson
Conducted a longitudinal observation on 31 boys and 29 girls from working class
3
1
, Contents:
3) Caregiver-infant interactions
4) Schaffer and Emersons stages of attachment
5-6) Role of the father
7) Animal studies – Lorenz
8) Animal studies – Harlow
9) Learning theory of attachment
10) Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
11-12) Ainsworth’s strange situation
13) Cultural variations in attachment
14-15) Bowlby’ theory of maternal deprivation
16) Romanian orphan studies
17) Influence of early attachment on relationships
Caregiver-infant interactions
Reciprocity
Mutual turn-taking form of interaction, where both contribute to the interaction by
responding to the others signals and cues, eliciting a further response from the other.
2
, Babies have an ‘Alert phase’, signalling they are ready for interaction. Research from
Feldman et al shows that mothers usually pick up on this 2/3rd of the time. Feldman
also found that interaction became increasingly frequent after 3 months, as both have
learned to pay more attention to each other.
Babies are actively involved in the process, as they can initiate interactions.
Brazelton et al describes it as a ‘dance’, where each person can lead, and the other
responds
Interactional synchrony
A simultaneous interaction, where their infant and caregiver act rhythmically,
matching and coordinating both behaviour and emotional states.
Meltzoff and Moore observed this behaviour originating in children aged 2
weeks old. An adult would display 1 of 3 faces, then the baby’s response was filmed
and labelled by observers and found more likely to mirror the adult
Isabella et al believed interactional synchrony was important for attachment. She
studied 30 babies and mothers to assess the degree of synchrony, finding high levels
of synchrony were linked to stronger attachment
+ Filmed Observations – Allows for recordings to be analysed later, to prevent
psychologists from missing any important behaviours that weren’t picked up on the
first time. Also allows for other psychologists to observe and establish inter-observer
reliability.
- Research through inferences – Babies’ behaviours are difficult to interpret due to
lack of range, and inability to explain. Bremner found difference between behavioural
response and understanding. Suggests research findings tells very little. Lowers the
internal validity
- Developmental importance – Feldman says that reciprocity / synchrony are just
names given to patterns of behaviours. Although they can be frequently observed, the
observations tell us very little about the purpose of the behaviours.
Counterpoint – Isabella et al found high levels of interactional synchrony is
linked to a stronger attachment. Opposes Feldman as it suggests importance in
development for later in life
Schaffer’s stages of attachment
Research by Schaffer and Emerson
Conducted a longitudinal observation on 31 boys and 29 girls from working class
3
