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Advanced Developmental Psychology

Advanced Developmental Psychology. PSY 620P. Introduction to Attachment. Christine Sinicrope. Signals that function to establish or maintain proximity of caregiver. Indiscriminate Social Responsiveness (0 to 8 weeks).

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Advanced Developmental Psychology

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  1. Advanced Developmental Psychology PSY 620P

  2. Introduction to Attachment Christine Sinicrope Messinger

  3. Signals that function to establish or maintain proximity of caregiver Indiscriminate Social Responsiveness (0 to 8 weeks) Based on ethological theories of emotional communication between infants and parents

  4. Attachment’s Function/Goal:Keeping Caregivers Close Messinger

  5. Environment of evolutionary adaptiveness Protection from predators and . . . conspecifics Messinger

  6. Attachment system • Inherent motivation • Organization of different behaviors • Doesn’t matter how you get to caregiver • With single function • In a goal-corrected manner • Attachment as an organizational construct Messinger

  7. Multiple attachments • Infants form attachments to many caregivers • A hierarchy is assumed • In which infant turns first to primary caregiver • Role of fathers Messinger

  8. Attachment makes social contact a psychological reality • You carry feelings of being with other inside you Messinger

  9. Forming attachment Maintaining attachment Threat of loss Actual loss Falling in love Loving someone (joy) Anxiety Sorrow/mourning Attachment motivates behaviors through feelings Messinger

  10. Harlow’s studies and the rejection of “drive reduction” explanations Spitz (1946) noticed that infants in orphanages (who were adequately nourished but had no loving attention) did very poorly Harlow’s surrogate mother studies examined relative influence of feeding vs. contact/comfort on attachment What forms the basis for attachment relationships? (cont)

  11. Intellectual History • Old dominant theory: • Affection/attachment to mother originate because mother is the source of food • Behaviorist: Contact becomes conditioned reinforcer because it is paired with food, an unconditioned reinforcer • Learning theory: Primary drive toward food (oral) becomes secondary drive toward contact • Harlow demonstrates this is incorrect • Harlow movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsA5Sec6dAI Messinger

  12. Harlow’s Surrogate Mother Studies (cont) From Blum (2003)

  13. Time is spent on cloth mothers • Both wire and cloth fed spend most of their time on cloth surrogate mother • Regardless of which “mother” fed you Messinger

  14. Secure Base • Secure attachment to surrogate allows for exploration of feared situation Messinger

  15. Key Attachment Concepts examined by Harlow • Contact with attachment figure • Retreat to attachment figure when afraid • Become less afraid • Use attachment figure as secure base from which to explore Messinger

  16. Attachment disorders: Romanian adoptees http://www.chrisgibbs.com/pages/romania.html Messinger

  17. Exposure to institutional rearing  disinhibited attachment disturbance • Disturbance (from interview) means • Lack of differentiation among adults; • Clear indication that child would readily go off with a stranger; • Lack of checking back w parent in anxiety-provoking situations. • Rutter, M. and T. G. O'Connor (2004). "Are There Biological Programming Effects for Psychological Development? Findings From a Study of Romanian Adoptees." Developmental Psychology40(1): 81-94 < 18 months: 16% (13/84) 24-42 months: 33% (15/45) Stable & little decrease 2-years. Messinger

  18. Difference • Presence of attachment is usually a biological given • almost all infants attached • Security of attachment is an individual difference • 2/3 of infants securely attached, 1/3 anxiously attached (some avoidant, some resistant) Messinger

  19. Measuring attachment security • A construct (secure attachment) Is different than its measurement or operationalization • Attachment security can be measured with a Q-sort (an intricate rating system) • Prototypically measured with the Strange Situation (12 – 36 months at least)

  20. AQS ITEM NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION • Child keeps track of mother's location around the house.74***.35**36. • Child clearly shows a pattern of using mother as secure base.70***.50***62. • When child is in a happy mood, he/she likely to stay that way.65***.2083. • When child is bored, he/she goes to mother for something to do.63***.13 9. • Child is lighthearted and playful most of the time.62***.25*87. • If mother laughs or approves, child repeats it again and again.58***.35**11. • Child often hugs or cuddles against mother without her inviting.57***.1066. • Child easily grows fond of adults who visit and are friendly.57***.24*44. • Child asks for and enjoys having mother hold, hug, and cuddle.57***.1228. • Child enjoys relaxing in mothers lap.54***.1878. • Child enjoys being hugged and held by people other than parent.53***.25*90. • If mother moves very far, child follows along and plays in area.52***.21 7. • Child laughs and smiles easily with a lot of different people.52***.2189. • Child's facial expressions are clear and strong when playing.51***.24*15. • Child is willing to talk to new people show toys if mother asks.49***.34**14. • When child finds something new to play with shows to mom.49***.35**18. • Child follows mother's suggestions readily.48***.1870. • Child quickly greets mom with a big smile when she enters room.47***.1643. • Child stays closer to mother or returns more often than keeping track.46***.22 1. • Child readily shares with mom or lets her hold things.44***.2067. • When family has visitors, child wants them to pay attention to him.41***.26*19. • When mother tells child to bring something, he or she obeys.37***.0532. • When mother says "no" or punishes, child stops misbehaving.36**.2164. Child enjoys climbing all over mother when they play.31**-.0512. Child quickly gets used to people or things that made him/her shy.31**.1548. Child readily lets new adults hold things, if they ask.31**.18 5. Child is more interested in people than in things.26*.0427. Child laughs when mother teases him/her.23 *.0475. At home, child gets upset or cries when mother walks out of room-.23*.1382. Child spends most of play time with a few favorite toys-.23*-.23*35. Child is independent of mother, prefers to play on own-.23*-.0226. Child cries when mother leaves him/her at home with babysitter-.26*-.1320. Child ignores most bumps, falls or startles-.33**-.0488. When something upsets the child, he stays where he is and cries-.42***-.2276. When given a choice, child would rather play with toys than adults-.43***-.1169. Rarely asks mother for help-.43***-.42***50. Child's initial reaction when adults visit the home is to ignore them-.44***-.2029. At times, child attends so deeply to something doesn't hear what-.50***-.32**52. Child has trouble handling small objects or putting them together-.51***-.43***61. Plays roughly with mother. Bumps, scratches, or bites during play-.52***-.0339. Child is often serious or businesslike when playing away from mom-.53***-.28*30. Child easily becomes angry with toys-.54***-.1017. Child quickly loses interest in new adults if they annoy him/her-.55***-.1558. Child largely ignores adults who visit the home-.55***-.31**65. Child is easily upset when mother makes him change activities-.56***-.28*56. Child becomes shy or loses interest when activity is difficult-.56***-.37**79. Child easily becomes angry at mother-.61***-.09

  21. Overall strategy • A – Avoidant • Avoid caregiver • B – Secure • Seek and be comforted by caregiver • C – Resistant • Seek caregiving without surcease • D – Disorganized • Lack a coherent strategy

  22. Ainsworth’s (1978) Strange Situation Seven episodes increasing amount of stress (e.g., unfamiliar environment, unfamiliar adult, brief separation from parent) How are attachment behaviors are organized around parent Attachment classification based primarily on reunion behaviors See example at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU (van Ijzendoorn) Attachment examples ppt https://nyu.databrary.org/volume/108/slot/10325/-?asset=28995 Measuring Attachment

  23. Attachment system • Stress activates the attachment system & reveals the child’s strategy • Security is an equilibrium • Avoidance is deactivation/shutting down • Resistance is over-activation/acting up

  24. Secure Attachment (Type B; 65% in NA) Ambivalent/Insecure-Resistant (Type C, 15% in NA) Insecure/Avoidant (Type A, 20% in NA) Disorganized (Type D, very rare) Attachment Classifications

  25. Measuring attachment security • A construct (secure attachment) Is different than its measurement or operationalization • Attachment security can be measured with a Q-sort (an intricate rating system) • Prototypically measured with the Strange Situation (12 – 36 months at least)

  26. Ainsworth’s (1978) Strange Situation Seven episodes increasing amount of stress (e.g., unfamiliar environment, unfamiliar adult, brief separation from parent) Of interest is how attachment behaviors are organized around parent Attachment classification based primarily on reunion behaviors See example at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU (van Ijzendoorn) Measuring Attachment • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH1m_ZMO7GU (different attachment types)—removed.

  27. Secure Attachment (Type B; 65% in NA) Ambivalent/Insecure-Resistant (Type C, 15% in NA) Insecure/Avoidant (Type A, 20% in NA) Disorganized (Type D, very rare) Attachment Classifications

  28. Attachment system • Stress activates the attachment system & reveals the child’s strategy • Security is an equilibrium • Avoidance is deactivation/shutting down • Resistance is over-activation/acting up

  29. Cross-cultural assessment • 2,000 Ainsworth strange situation classifications obtained in 8 different countries. • Intracultural variation was nearly 1.5 times the cross-cultural variation. • Some samples from one country resembled those in other countries more than they did each other. • Cross-cultural differences • Avoidant classifications emerge relatively more prevalent in Western European countries • resistant classifications relatively more frequent in Israel and Japan.

  30. Strange Situation protocol8 episodes, 3 min. each • 1: mother given instructions outside room • 2: mother & child in room • 3: stranger enters • 4: 1st separation (stranger present) • 5: 1st reunion • 6: 2nd separation (baby alone) • 7: stranger reunion • 8: 2nd reunion

  31. Reunion coding scales • Proximity seeking • Contact maintenance • Avoidance • Resistance • 1(low) -7 (high) • Disorganization • 1 to 9

  32. Overall strategy • A – Avoidant • Avoid caregiver • B – Secure • Seek and be comforted by caregiver • C – Resistant • Seek caregiving without surcease • D – Disorganized • Lack a coherent strategy

  33. Videos

  34. Proximity seeking behaviors • Immediate (vs. Delayed) approach to mom • Purposeful and effective approach • Going all the way to mother and making contact • Reaching for pick up

  35. Contact Maintenance Behaviors • Resisting release, clambering up after being put down • Protesting release by crying • Clinging on attempted release • Remaining in contact after being put down i.E. Holding on to mother’s knee

  36. Avoidance Behaviors • Delay in responding to mom’s entrance • Ignoring mom’s entrance; No greeting given • Busying self with toys at point of reunion • Gaze aversion when mom bids • Trying to go past mom out the door • Orienting body away from mom

  37. Resistance Behaviors • Angry mood, pouting, petulance, distress, cranky fussing, temper tantrum • Squirming when held • Rejection of toys when mom offers • Not easily calmed • Crying after being calmed • Crying in response to increased proximity

  38. Disorganization • Inexplicable behavior • No goal/strategy • Behavior suggests infant fears caregiver • Disorganized behavior should occur with caregiver and is given more weight if it occurs early in reunion

  39. Coding disorganization • “Behavior indicative of conflict, fear, and confusion in relation to their attachment figure . . . Sequential or simultaneous display of contradictory behavior patterns; undirected, misdirected, incomplete, and interrupted movements and expressions; stereotypes, asymmetrical movements, mistimed movements, and anomalous postures; freezing, stilling, and slowed movements and expressions; and direct indexes of apprehension, disorganization, or disorientation.” (Belsky et al., 1996)

  40. Disorganized behavior • Sequential/simultaneous displays of contradictory behaviors • Incomplete and stereotypic movements • Freezing/stilling/slowing • Indices of apprehension • A 9-point Disorganization scale where scores of 5+ indicate disorganization.

  41. Physiology • Disorganized infant have higher stress reactions (salivary cortisol) than other infants • in the Strange Situation– two studies • Reasonably stable categorization • R=.34 over x 25 months • Meta-analysis: Van Ijzendoorn, Schuengel, & Bakermans-Kranenburg (1999) • Higher heart rate for avoidant infants

  42. Mitsven, 2017 Attention to Faces Expressing Negative Emotion at 7 months Predicts Attachment Security at 14 months Peltola, Forssman, Puura, van Ijzendoorn, & Leppänen (2015)

  43. Mitsven, 2017 Background • Attachment experiences early in life can have long-lasting effects on later socioemotional development. • Studies using the Still-Face Paradigm have provided evidence that infants with lower negative affect during the still-face (i.e., neutral expression) were more securely attached at 1 year of age. • Building upon studies using behavioral responses to facial expressions as predictors of later attachment, the current study examined whether infants’ attentional biases to facial expressions at 7 months predicted attachment quality at 14 months.

  44. Mitsven, 2017 Background • Aims: • To investigate whether infants’ attention to negative facial expressions predicts later attachment security • Are there differences in attention to facial expressions as a result of attachment style (i.e., secure vs. insecure)? • Do differences in maternal sensitivity predict attentional biases to facial expressions?

  45. Mitsven, 2017 Method • Participants • 73 infants • From urban, middle class, Caucasian families • Measures • Eye-tracking • Overlap Paradigm • Completed at 7 months • Maternal Sensitivity • Mother-infant free-play interaction at home • Completed at 7 months • Infant-Mother Attachment • Strange Situation Paradigm • Completed at 14 months

  46. Mitsven, 2017 Eye-tracking: Overlap Paradigm • Measures of interest: • Proportion of missing attention shifts • Attentional bias scores

  47. Mitsven, 2017 Results

  48. Mitsven, 2017 Results

  49. Mitsven, 2017 Conclusions • Early attentional biases to negative facial expressions are predictive of later attachment security. • Attentional biases toward threat-related stimuli lead to positive developmental outcomes. • Infants’ sensitivity to threat related cues is a useful marker of attachment status that can be assessed prior to traditional assessments of attachment.

  50. Mitsven, 2017 Discussion Questions • What is the practical significance of these findings? • Knowing that a diminished attention bias to fear faces is associated with insecure attachment, is there something that can be done to intervene? • What about the generalizability of these results? • How do you think the results might change using a more diverse sample/sample from a more severe caregiving environment?

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