Unit 3: Behaviour, Populations and environment Chapter 31: Importance of Infant attachment 07/03/2016Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment1 Higher Human Biology

Learning Intentions To understand the early part of infancy and the critical stages of development which must take place to allow later development of communication and other social skills. Success Criteria Explain the importance of infant attachment 07/03/20162Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Importance of Infant Attachment Communication & Social Behaviour Humans are social creatures The vast majority prefer to live in communities rather than lead a solitary existence. To operate successfully the members of a group must be able to communicate with one another. Communication between humans starts at birth and continues throughout life. 07/03/20163Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Is this man communicating? If so communicating what? Social behaviour involves transmitting and receiving information using signs and signals (e.g. verbal,written and body language) 07/03/20164Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Body language – Actions speak louder than words! 07/03/20165Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Importance of Infant Attachment Communication & Social Behaviour Nervous System detects information Decision made based on experience Behaviour In early period, critical stages of development take place to allow later development of communication & social skills. The reason for the long dependency is that the move from baby to child to adult requires much learning Infant humans have long periods of dependency on adults. 07/03/ Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

The tie that binds a baby to its carer is called infant attachment. Infant attachment 0-6 months = Indiscriminate attachment on the babies part. 6-7 months = Specific attachment to the mother and a few other carers (baby protests if separated from carers). A strong emotional tie develops between the baby & the mother as the baby suckles, clings and cries. This triggers the mothers desire to protect and care for the baby. 07/03/20167Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Graph: Indiscriminate vs Specific Attachment As specific attachment develops, indiscriminate attachment weakens. Attachment can be measured by the amount of protest shown by a baby on being separated from its carer. 07/03/20168Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Contact Comfort Intro: For many years it was thought that babies became attached to their parents principally because the parents provide food. However in recent years, the additional importance of contact comfort has become appreciated. 07/03/20169Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Infants need: Close bodily contact The sensation of physical well-being & safety Contact comfort helps establish the attachment between an infant and its carer(s). Contact comfort was first demonstrated experimentally using infant monkeys. Contact Comfort Intro: 07/03/201610Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Infant monkeys were exposed to two types of substitute mother. The first mother was constructed out of bare wire. The second mother was made out of the same wire but covered in thick, soft towelling. It was the mother with bare wire that supplied the food Harry Harlow Monkey Experiment Contact Comfort: Monkey experiments 07/03/201611Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Past Paper Question Once the infant monkey had finished feeding from the wire mother, they spent much of their time clinging to the cloth mothers rather than the bare one. They always ran to the cloth mother when frightened. Cuddling the cloth mother’s soft body calmed the infants down Contact Comfort: Monkey Experiment Results These experiments demonstrate a high level need for CLOSE BODILY CONTACT and the sensation of physical well-being and safety. 07/03/201612Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Importance of Infant Attachment A long period of dependency and infant attachment are important because... It supplies the child with a secure base from which to operate in. The world/environments can be investigated and explored, all the time in the knowledge that the parent present will supply safety when required. This allows the infant to explore opportunities for learning. A sense of safety is required if social skills and cognitive abilities are to develop. 07/03/201613Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

In a variation of Harlow's monkey experiment. An infant was denied access to a cloth mother. As a result they developed into disturbed adults: Over-aggressive Withdrawn Uncommunicative Effects of Deprivation: Monkey experiments All these individuals became Inadequate parents 07/03/201614Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Watch this!!! 07/03/201615Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Effects of Human Infant contact Deprivation Human infants who have plenty of food and warmth but are denied contact comfort exhibit maladjusted behaviour. Children who suffer social deprivation (Isolation from loved ones) don’t develop social attachments so miss opportunities to develop communication skills and abilities. 07/03/201616Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Study of infant attachment: “Strange Situation” 1) Carer brings baby into room of unfamiliar toys 2) Stranger enters & tries to play with baby 3) Carer leaves baby with stranger 4) Carer returns & plays with baby, stranger leaves 5) Carer leaves baby alone 6) Stranger returns 7) Carer returns Allows psychologist to observed baby with: Carer Stranger Alone Strange Situation Video In order to study infant attachment and determine its type and quality a method called the ‘strange situation’ was devised. Each of the following 7 steps lasts 3 minutes each. 07/03/201617Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

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Watch this!!! 07/03/201619Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Strange Situation: The results Secure baby Major distress when mother leaves Resists comfort from stranger Goes immediately to mother then calms down Detached (avoidant) insecure baby Indifferent/only slight distress if mother leaves accepts comfort from stranger Ignores mother or approaches her looking away Resistant insecure baby Major distress when mother leaves Resists comfort from stranger Both seeks & resists comfort Perceptive mother Mother lacks perception Mother insensitive to baby’s needs 07/03/201620Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

The “Strange Situation” type of attachment secure insecure detached (avoidant)resistant response to the departure of mother Displays major distress displays indifference or mild distress displays major distress response to the presence of stranger in absence of mother resists offer of comfort from stranger accepts comfort from stranger if required resists offer of comfort from stranger response to the return of mother goes to mother immediately for comfort and then clams down and returns to play ignores mother of approaches her looking away both seeks and resists comfort (e.g. approaches her to be picked up but then struggles to be released) 07/03/201621Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Sensitive Perceptive Responsive If mothers/carers are: = Lack of normal social contact Lack of affection & cuddling Long-lasting negative effects What makes a baby happy? Happy, secure infants Infants that are insecure tend to have experienced: 07/03/201622Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Development of attachment 07/03/201623Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Task: Torrance-TYK pg 252 Qu /03/201624Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment

Task: Torrance AYK pg253/254 Qu’s /03/201625Mrs Smith Ch31 Infant Attachment