Attachment & Parenting Early Social Development

Attachment John Bowlby British psychoanalyst drew attention to importance of attachment after observing depression and other emotional scars in children orphaned in WWII Inspired researchers to study how attachments are formed and what happens when they’re absent or broken

Imprinting Konrad Lorenz (1937) Some animals (i.e. ducks, geese) develop attachment during a “critical period” shortly after birth Imprinting –

Harry Harlow (1959) Tested two opposing hypotheses on what leads to developing attachment:

Harlow Monkey Studies Also investigated what happens when attachments do not form Isolated some newborn monkeys from all social contact – dramatic disturbances after one year Tragically similar situations observed in Romanian and Russian orphanages

Mary Ainsworth (1978) (student of John Bowlby) “Strange Situation” experiment

Mary Ainsworth – “Strange Situation” “Secure Attachment” – most infants

Mary Ainsworth – “Strange Situation” “Insecure Attachment” _________ – avoid or ignore mother upon return _________ – upset when mother leaves, switch between clinging and angrily rejecting mother upon return __________ – behavior is inconsistent, disturbed, and disturbing (i.e. – cry after mother returns and comforts; reach out for mother while looking away from her) Secure attachments correlated with more positive social relationships later in life

Parenting Styles

Parenting Styles Authoritarian Their children tend to be:

Parenting Styles Permissive Children tend to be:

Parenting Styles Authoritative Children tend to be:

Parenting Styles Uninvolved Children tend to be:

Parenting Styles But, research is correlational Does parenting cause traits in child? or do child’s traits influence parenting style used by parents?