Attachment Research
Interactions...
Attachment Creating Behaviour
- Klaus & Kennell found that mothers who have greater physical contact with their baby
will cuddle them more and make greater eye contact with them.
- Papousek et al found that the tendency to use a rising tone to show an infant that it
was their turn in the interaction was cross-cultural (America, China & Germany).
- Condon & Sander analysed videos of babies and found that they coordinated their
movements in sequence with adults speaking.
Types of Attachment...
Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’
- Identi ed attachment types by observing behaviours of primary caregiver & infant in a
room with a two-way mirror.
- Consisted of 8 episodes:
~ mother, baby and experimenter in a room
~ mother and baby alone
~ Stranger joins the mother and infant
~ Mother leaves baby and stranger alone
~ Mother returns and stranger leaves
~ Mother leaves; infant left alone
~ Stranger returns
~ Mother returns and stranger leaves
- Ainsworth looked for the following behaviours:
~ Proximity and contact seeking
~ Contact maintenance
~ Avoidance of proximity and contact
~ Resistance to contact and comforting
- Identi ed three main attachment styles (secure, insecure avoidant and insecure
resistant)
- Concluded that these attachment styles were the result of early interactions with the
mother.
Stages of Attachment...
Scha er & Emerson
- Aim was to asses whether there was a common formation of attachment common to
all.
- Longitudinal study of 60 newborn babies in working class glasgow.
- Measured separation & stranger anxiety by leaving child alone & having assessor
approach the child.
- Found that there is a pattern of attachment formation.
- Depends upon who provides sensitive responsiveness.
- 87% of infants had 2 attachments by 18 months.
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Interactions...
Attachment Creating Behaviour
- Klaus & Kennell found that mothers who have greater physical contact with their baby
will cuddle them more and make greater eye contact with them.
- Papousek et al found that the tendency to use a rising tone to show an infant that it
was their turn in the interaction was cross-cultural (America, China & Germany).
- Condon & Sander analysed videos of babies and found that they coordinated their
movements in sequence with adults speaking.
Types of Attachment...
Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’
- Identi ed attachment types by observing behaviours of primary caregiver & infant in a
room with a two-way mirror.
- Consisted of 8 episodes:
~ mother, baby and experimenter in a room
~ mother and baby alone
~ Stranger joins the mother and infant
~ Mother leaves baby and stranger alone
~ Mother returns and stranger leaves
~ Mother leaves; infant left alone
~ Stranger returns
~ Mother returns and stranger leaves
- Ainsworth looked for the following behaviours:
~ Proximity and contact seeking
~ Contact maintenance
~ Avoidance of proximity and contact
~ Resistance to contact and comforting
- Identi ed three main attachment styles (secure, insecure avoidant and insecure
resistant)
- Concluded that these attachment styles were the result of early interactions with the
mother.
Stages of Attachment...
Scha er & Emerson
- Aim was to asses whether there was a common formation of attachment common to
all.
- Longitudinal study of 60 newborn babies in working class glasgow.
- Measured separation & stranger anxiety by leaving child alone & having assessor
approach the child.
- Found that there is a pattern of attachment formation.
- Depends upon who provides sensitive responsiveness.
- 87% of infants had 2 attachments by 18 months.
fffi
