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Attachment essay plans - AQA A-level Psychology

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Everything you need to know for Attachment (AQA A level Psychology paper 1). Broken down into AO1 and AO3 for every possible 8 or 16 mark question. AO1 is made using mark scheme specific wording, so it can be used to make flashcards as well. Helped me get an A*.

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Discuss research into caregiver-infant human interactions (16)

AO1:
Same as Schaffer types of attachments

AO3:




Outline and evaluate reciprocity and interactional synchrony (8)

AO1:
-reciprocity - turn taking, two-way interaction between caregiver and infant where behaviour
from each elicits a response from the other
-interactional synchrony - performing behaviour at the same time
-both are types of caregiver-human interactions in humans
-contribute towards development of secure attachments
-provide foundation of emotional and social development, teaching infants that actions can
affect others

AO3:
-supporting evidence for reciprocity: when mothers maintained a still, unsmiling expression
after being smiley, babies would try to tempt the mother into interaction by smiling, they got
increasingly distressed when there was no response
= shows babies expect a concordant response

-supporting evidence for interactional synchrony: when a model did 3 facial expressions to
the infant, judges found there was a significant association between the model's behaviour
and the infant's behaviour
=very young infants will imitate facial expressions of adult models

Discuss research into stages of attachment identified by Schaffer (16)

AO1:
-4 stages of attachment: pre-attachment, indiscriminate, discriminate, multiple attachments
-pre-attachment: birth to 3 months. Preference for humans from 6 weeks
-indiscriminate attachment: 3-7 months. Slight preference for familiar people, still
comfortable with strangers
-discriminate attachment stage: 7/ 8 months onward. Specific attachment, strong separation
and stranger anxiety
-multiple attachments stage. 9 months onward. One main attachment with other
attachments, reduced stranger anxiety

AO3:
-stage model: used results to develop stages in attachment, which suggests all children go
through the same stages at the same time. This can be useful as it provides rough
guidelines for child development which can comfort parents that a behaviour that their child

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