Attachment:
Attachment is an enduring two way emotional tie to a specific other person, normally between
parent and child.
- Psychologists research the development of the primary attachment in infancy and how it can
have consequences for relationships in later life.
Caregiver infant interactions in humans: reciprocity and interactional synchrony
Reciprocity: interactions between carers and infants where they both respond without thinking.
Both produce responses and the attachment bon strengthens.
Interactional synchrony: where behaviours become synchronised. Mother and infant reflect the
actions and emotions of each other and do this in a coordinated way.
Evaluation:
- Found from around 3 months, interaction between mother and baby tends to become
increasingly frequent and involves close attention to each other’s verbal signals and facial
expressions.
o This shoes that interactions happen between mother and child.
- Research was conducted where they analysed frame by frame video recordings of infant
movements. They found that they coordinated their actions in sequence with adults’ speech
to form a turn taking conversation.
o Showing reciprocity
Stages of attachment identified by Schaffer:
Schaffer hypothesised that human infant bonding period take much longer than other animals
- He conducted a study with 60 mothers and their babies from a working class area of
Glasgow.
- He thought that the bond with their caregiver would become stronger over time.
- He interviewed then observed the attachment behaviour- measuring separation anxiety and
stranger distress by approaching the child ad trying to engage in play or conversation.
Four stages:
Pre attachment phase:
Birth to 3 months
Infants become attracted to other humans preferring them to objects e.g. smiling at people’s
faces.
Indiscriminate attachment phase:
3-7 months
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar attachments.
They smile at more known people but allow strangers to look after them.
Discriminate attachment phase:
, From 7 or 8 months
Infants begin to form specific attachments and become distressed when separated from
particular people.
They avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them.
Multiple attachment phase:
9 months
Infants from strong emotional ties with other major caregivers and non-caregivers i.e.
children.
The fear of strangers weakens but attachment to the mother figure tend to remain
strongest.
Evaluation:
- Helps us understand when and how the attachment bond might be formed.
- It is outdated – the 60’s.
o More children are brought up differently now as fathers are more involved.
o Low temporal validity
Multiple attachments and the role of the father:
Bowlby – suggested that a single primary attachment, monotropy, is vital for the healthy
psychological developments of a child. He emphasises the role of the mother and believes that other
attachments weren’t as important than mother baby attachments.
This was hypothesised in the 1950’s.
Rutter – proposed a model of multiple attachment that saw all attachments being of equal
importance, combining to form a child’s internal working model. Different people were important
for different reasons. The mother is more caring and the father acts as a playmate.
Schaffer – thought babies could be attached to multiple people but emphasised the importance od
both mother and father in attachment,
Van ijzendoorn – believes that babies are capable of forming multiple attachment and this occurs
from birth.
Factors that effect a relationships between father and children:
1- Degree of sensitivity- more supportive father with cause a better attachment with child
2- Type of attachment with own parents – people tend to replicate their own upbringing with
their children.
3- Relationship intimacy – greater the physical or emotional intimacy of the parents the better
the attachment the child will have.
4- Supportive co-parenting – if parents work together successfully more secure attachments
will form.
Evaluation:
Attachment is an enduring two way emotional tie to a specific other person, normally between
parent and child.
- Psychologists research the development of the primary attachment in infancy and how it can
have consequences for relationships in later life.
Caregiver infant interactions in humans: reciprocity and interactional synchrony
Reciprocity: interactions between carers and infants where they both respond without thinking.
Both produce responses and the attachment bon strengthens.
Interactional synchrony: where behaviours become synchronised. Mother and infant reflect the
actions and emotions of each other and do this in a coordinated way.
Evaluation:
- Found from around 3 months, interaction between mother and baby tends to become
increasingly frequent and involves close attention to each other’s verbal signals and facial
expressions.
o This shoes that interactions happen between mother and child.
- Research was conducted where they analysed frame by frame video recordings of infant
movements. They found that they coordinated their actions in sequence with adults’ speech
to form a turn taking conversation.
o Showing reciprocity
Stages of attachment identified by Schaffer:
Schaffer hypothesised that human infant bonding period take much longer than other animals
- He conducted a study with 60 mothers and their babies from a working class area of
Glasgow.
- He thought that the bond with their caregiver would become stronger over time.
- He interviewed then observed the attachment behaviour- measuring separation anxiety and
stranger distress by approaching the child ad trying to engage in play or conversation.
Four stages:
Pre attachment phase:
Birth to 3 months
Infants become attracted to other humans preferring them to objects e.g. smiling at people’s
faces.
Indiscriminate attachment phase:
3-7 months
Infants begin to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar attachments.
They smile at more known people but allow strangers to look after them.
Discriminate attachment phase:
, From 7 or 8 months
Infants begin to form specific attachments and become distressed when separated from
particular people.
They avoid unfamiliar people and protest if strangers try to handle them.
Multiple attachment phase:
9 months
Infants from strong emotional ties with other major caregivers and non-caregivers i.e.
children.
The fear of strangers weakens but attachment to the mother figure tend to remain
strongest.
Evaluation:
- Helps us understand when and how the attachment bond might be formed.
- It is outdated – the 60’s.
o More children are brought up differently now as fathers are more involved.
o Low temporal validity
Multiple attachments and the role of the father:
Bowlby – suggested that a single primary attachment, monotropy, is vital for the healthy
psychological developments of a child. He emphasises the role of the mother and believes that other
attachments weren’t as important than mother baby attachments.
This was hypothesised in the 1950’s.
Rutter – proposed a model of multiple attachment that saw all attachments being of equal
importance, combining to form a child’s internal working model. Different people were important
for different reasons. The mother is more caring and the father acts as a playmate.
Schaffer – thought babies could be attached to multiple people but emphasised the importance od
both mother and father in attachment,
Van ijzendoorn – believes that babies are capable of forming multiple attachment and this occurs
from birth.
Factors that effect a relationships between father and children:
1- Degree of sensitivity- more supportive father with cause a better attachment with child
2- Type of attachment with own parents – people tend to replicate their own upbringing with
their children.
3- Relationship intimacy – greater the physical or emotional intimacy of the parents the better
the attachment the child will have.
4- Supportive co-parenting – if parents work together successfully more secure attachments
will form.
Evaluation:
