1. Attachment Relationships

2. Outline Theories of Attachment Bowlby and Ainsworth Findings
How attachment develops
Relationship between attachment and parenting behaviors

3. Attachment Relationship
A strong emotional bond that forms between infant and caregiver in the second half of the child’s first year The development of attachment relationships is a major achievement in the infant’s early social life Develops out of interactions between infant and caregiver

4. Theories of Attachment
Psychoanalytic Theory
Infants become attached to their mother because they associate her with gratification of their instinctual drive to obtain pleasure through sucking and oral stimulation
Learning Theory
Drive-reduction learning theorists suggested that the mother becomes an attachment object because she is associated with the reduction of the baby’s primary drive of hunger

5. Theories of Attachment
Harlow’s Research
Baby monkeys preferred to cling to the cloth “mother”— especially in moments of stress—even though it dispensed no food
Similar findings in human research
Thus, oral gratification and drive reduction are inadequate explanations for attachment

6. Theories of Attachment
Learning Theories
Operant Conditioning
Attachment development based on visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation that infants receive from their caregivers
Parents are the most reliable sources of this type of stimulation
Central point: attachment is not automatic; it develops over time as a result of satisfying (i.e.,rewarding) interactions with responsive adults

7. Theories of Attachment
Cognitive Developmental Theory
Importance of ability to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar others
Importance of object permanence - understanding that objects, including people, have a continuous existence apart from the baby’s own interactions with them
Cognitive shifts in expression of attachment
Less need for physical proximity
Understanding of need for and temporary nature of separations from familiar people

8. Theories of Attachment
Ethological Theory – Bowlby
Theory influenced by Lorenz’s demonstration of imprinting
Birds and other infrahuman animals develop a preference for the person or object to which they are first exposed during a brief, critical period after birth
Focused on signaling behaviors in human infant attachment
crying, smiling, vocalizing, sucking, clinging
Evolutionary biases make it likely child will use the parent as a secure base
A safety zone that the infant can retreat to for comfort and reassurance when stressed or frightened while exploring the environment

9. Theories of Attachment
Ethological Theory – Bowlby
Three important features of theory
Emphasis on the active role played by the infant’s early social signaling systems
Stress on the development of mutual attachments
Attachment is a dyadic relationship, not simply a behavior of either the infant or the parent

10. Infant Attachment Behaviors
Proximity Seeking
Efforts to regain physical contact with figure
Contact Maintenance
Efforts to maintain self-initiated contact with figure
Avoidance
Any active avoidance of proximity to or interaction with figure
Resistance
Negative behavior (often accompanied by anger) in response to figure’s contact attempts

11. Secure High Low Insecure/ Resistant 2 Insecure Styles Bowlby’s
Attachment
Style
Proximity-Seeking
Contact-Maintaining
Resistance
Avoidance
Secure
High
Low
2 Insecure Styles
Insecure/
Resistant
**New Slide

12. Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Procedure (SSP)

13. Strange Situation Intro to lab (30 sec) Mother and child alone
Stranger enters
Mother leaves
Mother returns; stranger leaves
Mother leaves; child alone
Mother enters
Strange Situation
Clip
**New Slide

14. Behavioral Responses during Reunion
Proximity Seeking
Efforts to regain physical contact with figure
Contact Maintenance
Efforts to maintain self-initiated contact with figure
Avoidance
Any active avoidance of proximity to or interaction with figure
Resistance
Negative behavior (often accompanied by anger) in response to figure’s contact attempts
**New Slide

15. Strange Situation: Secure
Strange Situation Example: Securely Attached Baby

16. Ainsworth’s Classifications
Attachment Type
Description
Secure
(Type B)
Babies are able to explore novel environments, are minimally disturbed by brief separations from their mother, and are quickly comforted by her when she returns
Insecure-Avoidant
(Type A)
Babies seem not to be bothered by their mother’s brief absences but specifically avoid her when she returns, sometimes becoming visibly upset
Insecure-Ambivalent
(Type C)
Babies tend to become very upset at the departure of their mother and exhibit inconsistent behavior on the mother’s return, sometimes seeking contact, sometimes pushing their mother away. (This is sometimes referred to as insecure-resistant or anxious-ambivalent attachment.)
Insecure-Disorganized
(Type D; added later)
Babies seem disorganized and disoriented when reunited with their mother after a separation

17. Attachment Classifications

18. Insecurely Attached Infants
Examples of Attachment Classifications
Attachment to Father

19. How Attachment Develops What it Means to be Attached
By age 1: form first attachment
Seek contact and proximity with attachment figure
Separation distress or protest - An infant’s distress reaction to being separated from the attachment object, usually the mother
7-9 mos: distress emerges
15 mos: intensity of distress at highest.
After 15 mos: distress decreases

20. How Attachment Develops Attached to Whom?
Mother is usually primary, but infant is capable of forming attachment to any familiar individual
Multiple attachments are common
Father
Grandparent
Sibling
Number of attachments limited because requires frequent, close, one- to-one interaction

21. How Do Infants Become Attached?
Attachment develops in phases (Shaffer & Emmerson, 1964)
Asocial phase (0-6 weeks)
Social (e.g., smiling face) and non-social (sticker) stimuli produces favorable reaction
Phase of indiscriminate attachments (6 weeks – 6/7 months)
Indiscriminate social responsiveness. Enjoy attention from anyone, but prefers regular caregiver

22. How Do Infants Become Attached?
Attachment develops in phases (Shaffer & Emmerson, 1964)
Specific attachment phase (7-9months)
Protest when separated from a particular person, usually mother. Will follow mother closely. Wary of strangers.
Phase of multiple attachments (approx. 18 months)
Infants form attachment to other people beside primary attachment figure

23. Consider this… What type of parenting behaviors might cause…
A secure attachment?
An ambivalent attachment?
An avoidant attachment?
A disorganized attachment?

24. Secure Attachment Child Behavior Parenting
Babies are able to explore novel environments
Minimally disturbed by brief separations from their mother
Quickly comforted by her when she returns
Sensitive and responsive
Behavior guided by baby’s cues (don’t interrupt)
Accepting of baby and minimal frustration
Physically and psychologically available

25. Parenting that is correlated with Secure Attachment (SPSS-S)
Parenting Behavior
Descriptions
Sensitivity
Responding promptly and appropriately to the infant’s signals
Positive Attitude
Expressing positive affect and affection for the infant
Synchrony
Structuring smooth, reciprocal interactions with the infant (do not interrupt or interfere with babies activity)
Support
Attending closely to and providing emotional support for the infants activities
Stimulation
Frequently directing actions toward the infant (do not ignore)

26. Insecure-Avoidant Attachment
Child Behavior
Parenting
Babies seem not to be bothered by their mother’s brief absences
Specifically AVOID her when she returns
Even though they sometimes becoming visibly upset
Intrusive and rejecting parenting (impatient)
Unresponsive to infant signals
Rarely have close bodily contact
Act angry & irritable

27. Insecure-Ambivalent Attachment*
Child Behavior
Parenting
Babies tend to become very upset at the departure of their mother
Inconsistent behavior on the M’s return, sometimes seeking contact, sometimes pushing their mother away
Often can’t be soothed up mothers return
Unaffectionate and inconsistent parenting
Sometimes respond to infants cues and sometimes not (depending on parental mood)
More often tend to be indifferent
*Also called insecure-ambivalent or anxious attachment

28. Disorganized Attachment
Child Behavior
Parenting
Combination of resistant and avoidant patterns
Confused about whether to approach or avoid mother
When reunited with mother they may be fearful, freeze, may move close or move away
Unaffectionate and inconsistent parenting
Sometimes induces fear or reassurance in infant

29. A couple notes on parental sensitivity…
Typical rate of secure attachment for middle-class U.S. children is
65%
But, only 38% of infants with insensitive mothers show secure attachment
Replicated: Relationship b/w father’s sensitivity and infant attachment style
Relationship is significant, but weaker
**New Slide

30. Sweet Nothings vs. Secure Base Provision
Key to attachment classification:
Parental response when the attachment system is activated (during times of distress)
Chest to chest contact
Still Face Experiment
Sensitivity and sweet parenting at other times less important for the attachment relationship