Attachment

1. Attachment

2. Emotional Attachment • Attachment is the bond that forms between an infant and their primary caregiver. • Important development in the social and emotional life of an infant • Occurs within the first 6 months of life • All primates • Physical touch and cuddling

3. Harlow’s Monkey Study • Studied rhesus monkeys with two kinds of artificial mothers. • Wire mother with a bottle • Terry cloth mother • Psychologists predicted that babies would become attached to mother who provided food.

4. Harlow’s Monkey Study • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU9jKlNK1Qc • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrNBEhzjg8I (begin at 2:09)

5. Harlow’s Findings(1958, 1966) • The baby monkeys ran to the terry cloth mother when scared, and by cuddling up to it, were calmed down. • Contact comfort more important in attachment than the providing of nourishment. • Contact Comfort – The innate pleasure derived from close physical contact, and is the basis of attachment.

6. Separation Anxiety • Once babies become attached to their mothers, separation becomes difficult and distressing. • 7-9 months, babies become fearful of strangers. • Show separation anxiety when their caregiver leaves them. • Continues until ages 2-3.

7. Mary Ainsworth’sStrange Situation (1973, 1979) • An experiment that measures the attachment of an infant to their mother. • Procedure: • Mother brings baby into unfamiliar room with toys. • A stranger enters the room. • The mother leaves the room. • The mother returns and the stranger leaves. • Observers carefully watch how the child behaves with the mother, with the stranger, and when the mother returns.

8. Attachment StylesSecure Attachment • Secure attachment (2/3 of children): • Babies are clearly distressed when the mother leaves. • When the mother returns the baby becomes happy again and is able to play. • Baby is obviously more attached to the mother than the stranger. • Secure attachment is desired in the U.S. Leads to healthy adult relationships. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU

9. Attachment StylesInsecure Attachment • Two types of insecure attachment: • Avoidant: • Does not care if the mother leaves the room. • Does not seek contact with her when she returns. • Treats the stranger the same as the mother. • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD771ASTMes • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH1m_ZMO7GU (1:58-2:40)

10. Attachment StylesInsecure Attachment • Anxious or ambivalent: • Protests when the mother leaves, but when she returns, the baby is not comforted. • May be angry with the mother, and resist her. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH1m_ZMO7GU (2:40-end) • Insecure attachment (avoidant and anxious/ambivalent) can lead to emotional and behavioral problems in childhood, which may carry throughout the life.

11. A mother’s impact • Ainsworth believed that the attachment of the child was entirely the result of the mother’s care. • Sensitivity and responsiveness = a secure baby • Insensitivity, unresponsiveness and coldness= insecure baby

12. Later research • Neglect and abuse obviously negatively impact a child. • Differences in normal child-rearing practices do not affect attachment style. • Child’s genetic temperament impacts attachment. • Stressful circumstances can shift the attachment from secure to insecure.

13. Cultural Differences • Germany – babies are left on their own to become self-reliant. • Africa – babies spend ½ of their time without the mother. They do not develop 1-on-1 attachment. • Japan- babies seem ambivalent to Westerners because they are clingy, dependent, and passive. Japanese regard this as normal because of the importance of the connection to others.