1. Socio-emotional Development
Play
Temperament
Attachment-Harlow this American Life

2. Attachment
What is it?
A reciprocal, enduring emotional tie between an infant and a caregiver, each contributing to the quality of the relationship.
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3. Early Work in Bonding and Attachment
Spitz (1945)- importance of early interaction with adults
Institutionalized infants-
Okay for first 3-6 months
After 6 months, showed a “failure to thrive”
Longer stay= worse outcome
> 4 years, very few were able to overcome problems
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4. Early Work in Bonding and Attachment
Harlow (1959)- Questioned the importance of contact comfort
first 6 months raised in isolation
Contact comfort vs feeding
wire “mother” for feeding and another cloth covered “mother”
preferred cloth one, even if food came from wire one
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5. Early Work in Bonding and Attachment
Bowlby (1969)- Bonding. Developed “attachment theory”
“Ethological Theory” based on evolutionary theory- Lorenz
instinctual responses that are important for protection and survival of the species
Infant is only capable of bonding with one caregiver
Stages of separation
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6. Mary Ainsworth (1964-present)
Caregiving hypothesis- Attachment quality depends on the quality of the attention the infant receives.
Stranger Anxiety- Begins w/ first Attach mo
Separation Anxiety- Begins ~ 6-8 mo, peaks mo, 7-8 years old?
Secure Base Phenomenon and social referencing
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7. The strange situation
Used to establish whether infant views the caregiver as a secure base- Sequence of 8 intervals, take approx 3 min. each
Most important measure from this scenario?
Child’s response upon mother’s return
Testing infant’s stranger and separation anxiety, as well as the secure base phenomenon
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8. Types of Attachment Securely Attached (65-70%)- Type B
Explores the environment
Uses caregiver as a secure base
May be upset- caregiver left, but easily soothed upon return
Greets caregiver warmly and goes on with play
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9. Types of Attachment Insecure, anxious/resistant (10-15%)- Type C
Stays close to caregiver
Explores very little
very distressed when caregiver leaves, angry & resistant upon caregiver’s return
May be difficult to console
Wary of strangers
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10. Types of Attachment Insecure, anxious/avoidant (15%)- Type A
Little distress with the leaving or returning of the caregiver
Ignores caregiver even when eliciting attention
May or may not be sociable with strangers
Disorganized (15%)- Type D
Not sure how to respond to caregiver
May freeze when reunited
May approach but then refuse contact
Seeks comfort but expresses anger and refuses comfort offered
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11. Possible Influential Factors
Parental sensitivity
Responsivity
Resistant- inconsistent
Avoidant- unavailable
Disorganized- abusive
Temperament
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12. Stages of Attachment
Asocial (birth-~6 weeks)- “Pre-attachment”- Can elicit social response with many types of 6 weeks, begin to show preference for smiling faces
Indiscriminate (6 wks- 6 or 8 months)- “Attachment in the making”
Prefer humans to dolls or toys
Don’t seem to distinguish one familiar person from another, but respond to familiar vs. strange differently
Enjoy attention from many different people
But… behavior shows otherwise
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13. Stages of Attachment Specific (@ 6-8 months to 1.5 yrs-2 yrs)
Show clear preference for one primary caregiver (usually mom)
Beginnings of stranger anxiety
Initial wariness of unfamiliar person
Shows separation anxiety
Protests at being separated from a particular person
Uses parent as secure base from which to explore
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14. Stages of Attachment
Multiple (begins just after primary specific attachment is formed, virtually all children have multiple by 18 mo) also, “formation of a reciprocal relationship”
Can form attachments with multiple others
Fathers, siblings, daycare providers, etc
Separation anxiety decreases
Can now understand factors causing separation and develops expectations about the reunion
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15. Home visits
You have been asked to conduct home visits for infants and toddlers who may be at-risk for insecure attachment. What clues would you look for to discern between avoidant, resistant, and disorganized attachment? What caregiving behaviors might signal a threat to attachment security? Infant characteristics? What questions would you ask to help in your investigation?
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