1. Psychology 235
Attachment

2. Ethological Theory Most influential theory guiding attachment research
Comes from the theory of evolution
Social behavior is influenced by genes
Social behavior is at least partly influenced by evolution and natural selection
Certain characteristics lead to survival and reproduction

3. Ethological Theory Infant Behavior leading to survival
If they reproduce, their genes are “selected for”
Parental behavior leading to survival of own infant
Thus the parents’ genes are also selected for

4. What are those behaviors?
Parent behavior: responding to crying, smiling, etc.
Parents are biologically prepared to respond to infants with caregiving
Infant behavior: crying, smiling
And especially, proximity-seeking
Infants are biologically prepared to behave in ways that keep them close to caretakers

5. What is attachment?
A “bond” or connection between infant and caretaker
Usually focuses on the infant’s attachment to caretaker
But also takes into account the caretaker’s feelings about the infant

6. Bonding - What is it?
Hormones of pregnancy & birth prepare mother to become “bonded” to her baby
Needs immediate contact after birth to touch and hold the baby
Preventing mother from doing this interferes with bonding, and then the mother will not be an effective mother
Child will have poorer development
“DO NOT REMOVE baby from mother until bonding has taken place”
This concept has largely been abandoned in developmental psychology because no research supports that is is the process of attachment

7. Infant-caretaker Attachment
A process that takes place over weeks and months
Depends on several factors
Characteristics of the infant
Characteristics of the parent or caretaker
Characteristics of the situation
Most important is developing interactional synchrony

8. From Tronick

9. Infant Some infants are difficult irritable temperament, fussy
Socially unresponsive
prematurely born infants
blind infants; mentally retarded
these characteristics can often be identified very early

10. Caretaker
Some caretakers are not very good at developing interactional synchrony
While this is an interaction, it is more under the caretaker’s control than the infant’s
Rigidity, inflexibility, non responsiveness, overwhelming infant

11. Situation Poverty, divorce, stress Unwanted child
Having to look after several small children
Social support
Relationship with spouse or other adult is critical

12. Infant’s Attachment
Bond to caretaker, or may even be a bond to objects (e.g., blanket)
Has three features
1. Proximity seeking
2. Secure base
3. Calms fears and distress

13. Attachment Continuum Exploration Balance Proximity-Seeking Avoidant
Secure
Resistant

14. When does it take place? Asocial stage ( 0-6 weeks)
Indiscriminate attachment (6 weeks - 6/7 months)
Specific attachments ( 6/7 months +)
Multiple attachments (6/7 to 18 months +)

15. What causes attachment?
At this point, we’ll ignore whether the attachment is strong or “good”
Many theories exist
attachment per se seems to be caused by
familiarity

16. Table 11-2, p. 445

17. Take a look at video

18. Attachment Continuum Exploration Balance Proximity-Seeking Avoidant
Secure
Resistant

19. Different Qualities of Attachment
Some attachment is called secure
It reflects a secure relationship between the attachment object (AO) and baby
Some is insecure or disorganized

20. Secure Attachment Explore actively Use AO as secure base
React positively to strangers in AO’s presence
Affectively in tune with AO
On separation play and exploration are reduced
On reunion, infant actively greets AO

21. Insecure, Avoidant Explores, but doesn’t use AO as base
Doesn’t check with AO
Treats AO and stranger similarly
Not distressed by separation
Actively avoids contact on reunion

22. Insecure, Resistant Cannot explore Stays very close to AO
Avoids stranger
Very distressed by separation
On reunion, alternates between seeking contact, and angry resistance

23. Disorganized/disoriented
Hard to categorize
Sometimes shows elements of resistant and avoidant

24. Long term implications of quality of attachment
Social competence
Compliance
Independence vs. attention-seeking

25. What produces secure attachments?
How do we know?
Longitudinal studies

26. What produces secure attachments?
Responding quickly and reliably to infant’s signals
Sensitively interpreting infant’s signals
Expressing affection consistently
High standards of physical care

27. Interactional Synchrony
The foundation for secure attachment is the relationship that is formed
Interactional synchrony

28. What isn’t important? Several things Breastfeeding
Being the only caretaker

29. What is related to increased frequency of insecure attachments?
Unresponsive caregiving
Inconsistently responsive caretaking
Overstimulating or intrusive care – overwhelming the infant
Teenage parents are much more likely to be unresponsive or inconsistently responsive

30. Substitute care for infants?
Table 11-6, p. 461

31. What about substitute care and the security of attachment?
Poor quality substitute care (babysitters, etc.)
Possibly substitute care > 25 hrs/week under age 1 (small effect), perhaps especially if begun between 6 and 12 months rather than earlier or later
Multiple arrangements, rather than just one
However, may be linked to overstimulating care, or mother’s attitudes and hence her behavior when with the child
Harrison and Ungerer, 2002, Developmental Psych

32. Recent study in Australia
Where there is good child care, support for combining employment and parenthood, and opportunities to work less than full time, found the most secure infants with
More responsive mothers
Older mothers
Mothers with more social support (often gained at work)
Mothers most positive about working
Mothers most positive about child care
infants beginning care in first half year of life as opposed to later (likely related to mothers’ attitudes)
In fact, 72% infants secure when mothers returned in first six months, 62% in mothers returning between 6 and 12 months, and 45% secure in stay-at-home mom group
Harrison and Ungerer, 2002, Developmental Psych