1. Janet Belsky’s Experiencing the Lifespan, 2e
Chapter 4:
Infancy: Socioemotional Development
Meredyth Fellows, West Chester University of PA

5. Attachment: The Basic Life Bond
History
Behaviorists (Watson, Skinner) minimized human attachment need
Believed “maternal reinforcing stimulus” created infant’s need to be close to caregiver
John Watson, strict ____________
Video

6. Attachment: History Ethologists: early evolutionary psychologists
_____________(1935):
research with goslings
“biologically programmed attachment response”

7. Attachment: History Harry Harlow (1959) Experiment with monkeys
Refuted behaviorists ideas
Contact comfort important to bonding
Video 1 Video 2
John Bowlby (’69, ’73, ’80)
Primary attachment figure _________________________________________

8. Attachment Response Bowlby (’69, ’73) (Video)
Critical period for attachment response
Proximity-seeking behavior—activated by threats to survival at any age
Threats may be activated by our internal state
Threats may be evoked by external world dangers
Attachment Theory-Video

9. Attachment Milestones
Pre-attachment Stage—birth to 3 mos.
Reflex dominated time
2 months, social smile (example of automatic reflex, not in response to attachment figure)
Social smile evokes care and love

10. Attachment Milestones, cont’d
Attachment in the making—4 to 7 mos.
Slight preference for caregivers, but still respond to everyone
Clear-cut (focused) attachment—7 to 8 mos.
Stranger-anxiety and separation anxiety appear
Social-referencing

11. The Strange Situation: Mary Ainsworth Video
Measures individual variations in attachment response during “clear-cut” stage
Planned separations and reunions of child and primary caregiver

12. Ainsworth’s Attachment Styles
___________ Attached
Child uses primary caregiver as a secure base from which to explore
Child reacts with joy upon caregiver’s return
Video

13. Ainsworth’s Attachment Styles
Insecurely Attached
Avoidant
Appear detached; indifferent upon mother’s return
______________________
Clingy, fearful, fear of exploration
Severe distress when mother leaves; contradictory emotions upon return; often inconsolable
__________________________
Bizarre behaviors; may freeze, look frightened, may flee
Often result of abuse

14. Attachment: The Caregiver
Insecurely attached babies may have parents who are:
Overly intrusive
Misread signals
Depressed
Slower to react to baby’s cues

15. Attachment and Child’s Temperament
Easy
Slow to Warm-up
Difficult
Baby’s temperament and quality of caregiving will determine attachment style

16. Attachment: Summary
Early life is sensitive period for attachment (not critical period)
Attachment may change over time
Forces influencing attachment styles:
Nurture provided by primary caregiver
Infant’s temperament
Other environmental forces

17. Settings for Development Poverty in the United States
___________________________ (Federal government definition)
An income levels that allows a household to pay for shelter, food, and clothing, with a small amount left over.
___________(Child Advocates’ term)
The real minimum income it takes for a family to decently make ends meet in the U.S.

18. Poverty in the U.S.: Statistics
Federal government: 1 out of every 5 children
Low income criterion, 43%
Poverty most common during child’s first 5 years of life
Single motherhood
Inadequate wages

19. Poverty and Development
Strong negative impact on academic performance
Less access to quality preschools, enriching toys, trips to museums
Health-compromising conditions at birth (e.g. low birth weight)
Stressed, low-income mothers may have less patience with irritable infants/children
Crowded living and unsafe environment

20. Toddlerhood: Erik Erikson’s Age of Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt

21. Toddlerhood: 1-2 years Task of toddlerhood: to be autonomous selves
Understanding of “self” and self-conscious emotions appear
May feel proud or ashamed
Need to explore
Erikson’s negative outcome: _________________

22. Do Shy and Exuberant Children Differ Dramatically in Self-Control?
Research demonstrates:
Toddlers at the high end of the fearless, joyous, and angry continuum show less “___________” at age 4
These toddlers’ exuberant impulses are difficult to dampen
Does power assertion work when disciplining?
Better to redirect behavior and provide positive reinforcement

23. Guidelines for Socialization according to Temperament
Shy
Do not overprotect
Gently expose to new situations
_______________
Develop strong attachment bond
Resist power assertion