1. HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND RELATIONSHIPS ATTACHMENT THEORY

2. What are you attached to? Why are you attached to it?

3. Early experience and social development Development and variety of attachments  ‘an intense emotional relationship that is specific to two people, that endures over time, and in which prolonged separation from the partner is accompanied by stress and sorrow’. (Kagan et al., 1978)  Crucial first attachment (usually with the mother) acts as a prototype(or model) for all later relationships. Psychology for Nurses and Health Professionals, 2E © 2013 CRC Press

4. Why are early attachments important?  There is evidence that the kind of attachments you form early in your life affect the kind of relationships you have later in your life.

5. Early experience and social development Development and variety of attachments cont.  Developmental phases (Schaffer, 1996): (i) pre-attachment (0-3 mths) (ii) indiscriminate attachment (3-7/8 mths) (iii) discriminate attachment (from 7/8 mths) (iv) multiple attachment (from 9 mths)  Separation anxiety.  Fear-of-strangers response. Psychology for Nurses and Health Professionals, 2E © 2013 CRC Press

6. Key Researcher – John Bowlby “Mother love in infancy is as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins for physical health” J.B. (1951)

7. Bowlby’s Historical Influences  Konrad Lorenz (1937)  Used greylag geese to demonstrate that young “imprint” onto the first thing that they come into contact with.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIU9XH-mUI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIU9XH-mUI

8. Theories of attachment  ‘Cupboard love’ theories  Both Freud’s psychoanalytic and behaviourist accounts see infants as becoming attached to those who satisfy their physiological needs. These were challenged by: i. studies of contact comfort in baby rhesus monkeys (Harlow & Zimmerman, 1959); and ii. Schaffer & Emerson’s (1964) study of Scottish infants. Psychology for Nurses and Health Professionals, 2E © 2013 CRC Press

9. Bowlby’s Historical Influences  Harry Harlow  Used Rhesus monkeys to demonstrate that comfort is as vital as food in order to survive the “critical period”  Monkeys raised in isolation showed disturbing behaviour  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weXEaTKckzY

10. Theories of attachment cont. Bowlby’s evolutionary theory (1969, 1973)  Human newborns are genetically programmed to display species-specific behaviours (sucking, smiling etc.). These ensure their survival.  Monotropy = strong innate tendency to become attached to one particular adult female (not necessarily the natural mother).  Critical period for attachment development. Psychology for Nurses and Health Professionals, 2E © 2013 CRC Press

11. Bowlby (1969) believed that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers have a tremendous impact that continues throughout life as infants primarily follow a process of proximity seeking to an identified attachment figure in situations of what they see as distress or alarm.

12. Monotrophy  An innate tendency to become attached to one person and that this attachment is qualitatively different from other attachments (primary caregiver)  This secure attachment helps us be confident in exploring the world around us.  This is later emphasised in adulthood as the early relationships we have formed provide and Internal Working Model (IWM) for how we later develop relationships with others.

13. Deprivation and privation  Critical period + monotropy = maternal deprivation hypothesis (MDH) (Bowlby, 1951).  Deprivation vs. privation (Rutter, 1981).  Short-term deprivation  distress.  Privation  long-term developmental retardation (e.g. affectionless psychopathy). Psychology for Nurses and Health Professionals, 2E © 2013 CRC Press

14. Affectionless/Emotional Psychopathy  Affectionless Psychopathy - an inability show affection or concern for others. Such individuals act on impulse with little regard for the consequences of their actions.  For example, showing no guilt for antisocial behaviour.  From this he developed his maternal deprivation hypothesis

15. Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis  If the attachment figure is broken or disrupted during the critical two year period the child will suffer irreversible long-term consequences of this maternal deprivation.  maternal deprivation refers to the separation or loss of the mother as well as failure to develop an attachment.

16. How do early attachments affect relationships?  Children that form no attachments (privation) can grow up have significant problems with relationships due to poor social and language skills.  Children who experience deprivation (because they are separated from an attachment figure) can grow up to suffer from problems such as depression (where they withdraw from others) or emotionless psychopathy (where they show a lack of consideration of others).  Children who develop and maintain attachments are more likely to grow up to have productive relationships.

17. In plain speak NOT psychobabble  BASICALLY what this hypothesis (prediction) means is if there is continual disruption of the attachment between infant and primary caregiver (i.e. mother) it could result in long term intellectual, social, and emotional difficulties for that infant.

18. Attachment Types  Generally, having an attachment is better than having no attachment at all.  However, there are different types of attachment. Research suggests that certain types of attachment lead to better relationships.

19. There are three main types of attachment:  Type A:Insecure Avoidant  Type B:Secure  Type C:Insecure Ambivalent

20. Insecure Avoidant When I was younger…  I was quite independent.  I didn’t rely on my parents/carers that much.  I didn’t get that upset about strangers looking after me.  My parents/carers were not that emotional.  I didn’t tend to tell my parents/carers how I felt.

21. Secure When I was younger…  My parents/carers made me feel safe.  I had a close relationship with my parents/carers.  My parents/carers were sensitive to my needs.  I trusted other people besides my parents/carers.  My parents/carers seemed to understand where I was coming from.

22. Insecure Ambivalent When I was younger…  I was quite clingy.  I was quite demanding.  I was easily distressed.  I was wary of people who were not that familiar to me.  I used to play up my parents/carers.

23. How common is each attachment type? INSECURE AVOIDANT SECURE INSECURE AMBIVALENT 15% 70% 15%

24. Evidence for Attachment Types  Mary Ainsworth  Mary Ainsworth was a student of Bowlby’s and expanded greatly upon Bowlby's original work. Her groundbreaking "Strange Situation" study revealed the profound effects of attachment on behaviour. In the study, researchers observed children between the ages of 12 and 18 months as they responded to a situation in which they were briefly left alone and then reunited with their mothers (Ainsworth, 1978). Mary Ainsworth"Strange Situation" Mary Ainsworth"Strange Situation"   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU

25. Core Study In Attachment Hazen & Shaver (1987) “Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process.”

26. Aim Hazen & Shaver wanted to show that type of attachment that a person had in infancy had an effect on the type of romantic relationships they would form in the future.

27. Hypothesis They predicted that people who had experienced secure attachments in childhood would have more secure romantic relationships that those who had experienced insecure attachments.

28. Method  They carried out a survey using a questionnaire.  The questionnaire was printed as a ‘love quiz’ in a local American newspaper.

29. Method  The questionnaire assessed attachment type in infancy using a checklist.  The questionnaire also measured attitudes to people’s most important romantic relationship using multi-choice questions.

30. Method  1200 replies to the ‘love quiz’ questionnaire were sent in.  Approximately half of these were analysed.

31. Results 25% 19% 56%

32. Results Anxious Avoidant  feared intimacy in romantic relationships  were jealous of romantic partners  were more likely to report that they got along ok by themselves

33. Results Secure  reported friendly, happy romantic relationships  were more accepting of their romantic partners  had longer romantic relationships on average and were less likely to get divorced

34. Results Insecure Ambivalent  more likely to be obsessive in romantic relationship  experienced extreme attraction but also extreme jealousy  had shortest romantic relationships on average and were most likely to get divorced

35. Conclusion There is an association between attachment type in infancy and the nature of romantic relationships in adult life. Hazen & Shaver’s theory was that early relationships with carers provides a mental template that is then used for future relationships. This means securely attached children tend to go on to have more successful and fulfilling romantic relationships whereas insecure children tend not to.

36. Evaluation  The sample was mainly females and all were self-selecting respondents… so findings may not generalise to the rest of the population.  Respondents were only asked about their most important romantic relationships… so it may not be representative of others.  Relationships were assessed through closed questions… which may have been too simple for something so complex.  Respondents were required to recall features of their attachment in childhood… but because its retrospective it may be unreliable.  The questions were quite personal… so respondents may have been tempted to lie (especially as they were not traceable) leading to invalid results.