A-Level Psychology - Attachment
Attachment exam questions:
1. Kirsty has noticed that her young baby does things to attract her
attention, such as babbling, smiling and crying.
How does the evolutionary perspective on attachment explain these
behaviours? (4 marks)
Sample answer:
The baby is displaying instinctive signalling behaviours. Crying and
smiling are social releasers which encourage the parent to care for the
infant. This is vital for the infant because without a caregiver's care
and attention during the early years of life; it would die. Forming an
attachment gives newborn infants an advantage over those that do not
to survive.
Your answer:
2. You have been asked to give a talk to a mother-and-baby group.
Using the ideas from Bowlby's theory of attachment, what advice
would you give the mothers about how they could form a strong
mother-child attachment? (4 marks)
Sample answer:
Bowlby said that an infant should form an attachment to one primary
caregiver, usually the mother. Care needs to be regular, meaning that
she needs to ensure that she does not do anything to disturb the
attachment, for example, by leaving the child under the supervision of
Attachment exam questions:
1. Kirsty has noticed that her young baby does things to attract her
attention, such as babbling, smiling and crying.
How does the evolutionary perspective on attachment explain these
behaviours? (4 marks)
Sample answer:
The baby is displaying instinctive signalling behaviours. Crying and
smiling are social releasers which encourage the parent to care for the
infant. This is vital for the infant because without a caregiver's care
and attention during the early years of life; it would die. Forming an
attachment gives newborn infants an advantage over those that do not
to survive.
Your answer:
2. You have been asked to give a talk to a mother-and-baby group.
Using the ideas from Bowlby's theory of attachment, what advice
would you give the mothers about how they could form a strong
mother-child attachment? (4 marks)
Sample answer:
Bowlby said that an infant should form an attachment to one primary
caregiver, usually the mother. Care needs to be regular, meaning that
she needs to ensure that she does not do anything to disturb the
attachment, for example, by leaving the child under the supervision of
