Attachment

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  • Created by: sophie_rw
  • Created on: 22-03-19 14:19
Interactional synchrony
When mother and infant interact, their actions and emotions 'mirror' each other. Meltzof & Moore observed this with infants as young as two weeks old. An association was found between the expression/gesture of mother, and the actions of the infant.
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Why is interactional synchrony important?
High synchrony=higher quality of attachment-Isabella et al (observed 20 mothers and infants).
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Reciprocity
From around 3 months this is increasingly frequent. Involves close attention to each other's verbal signals and facial expressions. Brazelton et al described this a s a dance because each person responds to the other's moves.
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Limitation is that it's hard to know what is happening when observing infants.
Many studies have shown the same pattern of behaviour, but what's being observed is merely gestures/expressions. Difficult to be sure what's happening from the infant's perspective. E.g. is it the response deliberate? We can't be certain of meaning.
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Strength of research is that it uses well-controlled procedures.
Interactions are usually filmed from multiple angles; fine details of behaviour can be analysed later. Babies don't now they're being observed so no observer effects. This increases validity.
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Limitation is that from research we still don't know the purpose of reciprocity and synchrony.
Feldman says research simply describes behaviours that occur and the same time. Not particularly useful. However, there is evidence that it's useful in development of mother-infant attachment.
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Role of the Father
Quality of father's play with infants was related to children's attachments. This suggests fathers have a different role in attachment which is more to do with play and stimulation that nurture.
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Father's can be primary care givers
Field found that when fathers take on the role of the primary caregiver, they adopt bahaviours more typical of mothers. Filmed 4-month old babies and saw that their primary care-giver fathers spent more time smiling, imitating and holding infants.
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Level of response is most important.
Smiling, imitating and holding infants are behaviours that appear to be important in building an attachment with an infant. The key to attachment is the level of responsiveness, not the gender of the parent.
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1st stage of attachment.
Asocial- first few weeks, behvaviour towards inanimate objects and humans is quite similar, happier in the presence of other humans.
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2nd stage of attachment
Indiscriminate- 2-7 months, display more observable social behaviour, with a preference for people rather thaninanimate objects, recognise and prefer familiar adults but don't show separation or stranger anxiety.
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3rd stage of attachment
Specific attachment- from 7 months, stranger and separation anxiety when separated from one particular adult. Baby has fromed specific attachment with primary attachment figure- person who responds and interacts with baby most.
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Final attachment stage
Multiple attachments- by one year, secondary attachments form with other adults, in Schaffer and Emerson's study 29% had secondary attachments within a month of forming a primary attachment.
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Schaffer and Emerson's stages of attachment study
60 babies from working class families in Glasgow. Babies and mothers were visited every month for a year and then after 18 months. Separation and stranger anxiety measured by asking mothers about behaviour during separations and around strangers.
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Outcome of Schaffer's study
50% showed separation anxiety (between 20-30 weeks) with a particular adult (primary caregiver). Attachment tended to be with adult who interacts most with child and responds to them-typically the mother.
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Strength of schaffer's study- external validity
Most of the observations were made by parents during ordinary activites . So behaviour was unlikely to be affected by presence of others. Highly likely p's behaved naturally.
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Another strength- carried out longitudinally
The same children were observed and followed up regularly. Has better internal validity than cross-sectional design (observe diff children at each age) because there isn't the confounding variable of individual differences between participants.
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Limitation- problems with studying 'Asocial' stage
Descibed first stage as 'asocial' although important interactions take place. Young babies have poor coordination and are fairlu immobile so it's difficult to judge based on behaviour. Baby may be social but mathod flaws make them appear asocial.
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Animal study- Lorenz (imprinting)
Divided 12 goose eggs- half hatched with mother goose and half in incubator with Lorenz being the first thing they see. Mixed them all together to see who they'd follow.
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Card 2

Front

Why is interactional synchrony important?

Back

High synchrony=higher quality of attachment-Isabella et al (observed 20 mothers and infants).

Card 3

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Reciprocity

Back

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Card 4

Front

Limitation is that it's hard to know what is happening when observing infants.

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Strength of research is that it uses well-controlled procedures.

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