AQA PSYCHOLOGY ATTACHMENT 2022

what is Reciprocity ? how 2 people interact both infant and mother respond to each others signals and elicit a response mothers usually pick up on and respond to the infants 2/3 of the time ( Feldman and Eildman 2007) Brazleton et al describes the interaction as a couples dance as each partner responds to each others moves what is Interactional Synchrony and who are the researches behind it ? mother and infant reflect both actions and emotions of the other in a coordinated way. Meltzoff and Moore observed interactional synchrony in children as young as 2 weeks old. An adult displayed one of 3 facial expressions or gestures. the child's response was filmed and identified by independent observers . there was a link between adults gesture and babies actions. Isabelle et al observed 30 mothers and assessed their level of synchrony. high levels of synchrony meant better quality of mother infant attachment what are the advantages and disadvantages of caregiver-infant interactions? - subjective as babies expression may have no meaning - observations don't tell us why there is reciprocity and interational synchrony - it is socially sensitive as Isabelle et al's study shows that mothers should not go to work + controlled observations Parent- infant attachment traditionally the mother Schaffer and Emerson found what babied become attached to their mother first around 7 moths then secondary attachment a few weeks later. in 75% of the studies an attachment was made with the father by 18 months ( determined by baby showing separation anxiety from father) Role of the father Grossman carried out longitude study looking at both parents behaviour and attachment with child until their teens. The attachment with the mother was related to the child's attachment during adolescent suggesting the father is less important . however, the quality of the fathers play with the child was related to their quality of attachment suggesting the fathers role is more to do with play and stimulation rather than nurture. Father as primary care giver evidence shows that fathers can adapt to the role of primary care giver if mother not present. Field filmed 4 moth old baby interact with primary mother, primary father , and secondary father. Primary fathers and mothers spent more time smiling , imitating and holding than the secondary father. therefore gender does not affect attachment. advantages and disadvantages of attachment figures - inconsistent findings as different researchers are interested in finding different things e.g. primary and secondary attachment. no studies actually tell us what the role of the father is. -socially sensitive as suggests child might be at a disadvantage if mother goes back to work - children with fathers growing up are no difference showing similar role + biological explanation, woman have more oestrogen making them more nurturing Schaffer and Emerson's Study investigated the aims of early attachment at the age which they develop emotional intensity and to whom they direct it at 60 babies (1 male and 29 female) from Glasgow working class families . they were visited to their homes every month for for the first year and again at 18 months. mothers asked if babies show any protest and tested separation and stranger anxiety. they found that between 25 and 32 months 50% of babies showed signs of separation anxiety . they showed reciprocity. BY age 40 weeks 80% of babies had specific attachment and 30% showed multiple attachment Schaffer and Emerson evaluation +good external validity as carried out in the homes +longitudinal so good internal validity as children followed up so no confounding variables as same children used - can't be generalised - doesn't necessarily measure attachment as stranger and separation anxiety are only two components that make up attachment Stage 1 of attachment asocial stage birth to 2 months recognising and forming bonds with carer but behaviours towards human and non-human objects are similar. baby shows preference to familiar people and can calm down quickly with them baby happier in the presence of humans Stage 2 of attachment indiscriminate stage 2-7 months