1. Emotional tie with another person
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Attachment
Emotional tie with another person
Formed shortly after birth (critical period)
For infants:
Attachment - #1 social achievement
Most important attachment - caregiver
Two parts:
1) Contact
2) Familiarity

2. Before assimilation & accommodation develop Separation anxiety
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Attachment - terms
Stranger anxiety
Before assimilation & accommodation develop
Separation anxiety
After object permanence develops
Sensorimotor

3. Harry Harlow: babies form attachments to fulfill comfort, safety needs
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Contact
Old theory: babies form attachments to fulfill nourishment, safety needs
Harry Harlow: babies form attachments to fulfill comfort, safety needs
Contact more important that food, etc.

4. Wire mother provides nourishment, cloth one doesn’t.
Which “mother” does the monkey choose?
The cloth mother
Comfort, contact more important than nourishment

5. How do we know who is familiar (safe)? Imprinting Humans don’t imprint
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Familiarity
Familiar is safe
How do we know who is familiar (safe)?
Imprinting
Humans don’t imprint
Attachment – long,
complex process

7. Types of parenting affect how attachments are formed
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Forming attachments
Mary Ainsworth
Types of parenting affect how attachments are formed
Responsive parenting
More time spent with child – more child becomes familiar with caregiver
Non-responsive parenting
Less time spent with child – less child is familiar with caregiver
Handout
On handout

8. Strange situation design
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Forming attachments
Strange situation design
Child in strange situation, usually a doctor’s office waiting room.
Mother present
Other children often present
Toys present
After a short period of time, the mother gets up to leave
Comes back a short while later.
Handout
link

9. Secure Attachment – 70% of the time Plays comfortably with other
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Forming attachments
Three general responses/types
Secure Attachment – 70% of the time
Plays comfortably with other
Explores new environment
Not clingy to mother
Cry when parent leaves room
Run to them when they return
Handout

10. Forming attachments Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Forming attachments
Three general responses/types
2) Insecure attachment: Resistant Attachment - 10% of the time
Does not play/play comfortably
Does not explorer new environment
Clingy to parent instead of playing/exploring
Protests loudly when parent leaves
Resist contact with parent at reunion
Acts angry toward parent
Handout

11. Forming attachments Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Forming attachments
Three general responses/types
3) Insecure attachment - Detached/Avoidant Attachment - 20% of the time
Does not play/play comfortably
Does not explorer new environment
Indifferent towards parent
Doesn’t play or explore
Doesn’t care if parent leaves the room
Doesn’t try to seek contact upon return
Treats strangers same as parent
Handout

12. Effects of early attachments: terms Erik Erikson Social competence
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Effects of early attachments: terms
Erik Erikson
Social competence
More nurture than nature
Gained through Secure Attachment
Basic trust
Sense world is safe & predictable
People are trustworthy
Formed during early childhood

13. Effects of early attachments
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Effects of early attachments
Type of attachment seems to influence later life, especially relationships.
Early childhood treatment by parents only one indicator.

14. Effects of early attachments
Developmental psychology: Infancy & Childhood
Infancy & Childhood: Social development
Effects of early attachments
Type of attachment seems to influence later life, especially relationships:
If we had Secure Attachment…
Healthier relationships
Basic trust
Social competence
If we had Insecure Attachment…
Opposite is true