1. LEARNING GOAL 9.1: ANALYZE A CHILD'S BEHAVIOR TO PREDICT HIS/HER ATTACHMENT STYLE. Attachment Theory

2. Harlow’s Monkeys Harry Harlow (1950s) Separated baby rhesus monkeys from their mothers, then provided two “mothers” – a wire doll that provides food, and a cloth doll that provides no food Which mother does the baby monkey prefer? The cloth mother, even though it cannot feed him! We see that attachment is about much more than food – babies need contact comfort to feel secure

3. Attachment Styles in Children Mary Ainsworth (1970s) “Strange Situation” protocol with 106 babies between 11-18 months of age “Strange Situation” protocol  The baby plays with the mother  The mother leaves, causing the baby distress  How does the baby react when the mother returns? Identified three main attachment styles:  Secure  Insecure: avoidant  Insecure: anxious/ambivalent

4. Secure Attachment Trusts the caregiver to be present and meet his/her needs When the caregiver is present, the baby plays within a “secure base” – feels comfortable within a certain range of the caregiver When the caregiver leaves, the baby is upset but not frantic When the caregiver returns, the baby is quickly comforted and returns to play

5. Insecure Attachment: Avoidant Assumes that the caregiver will not meet his/her needs When the caregiver is present, the baby doesn’t interact with him/her… plays with objects rather than people When the caregiver leaves, the baby may be distressed or indifferent; if a stranger is present, the baby may respond to the stranger the same way s/he responds to the caregiver When the caregiver returns, the baby is unresponsive and avoids eye contact

6. Insecure Attachment: Anxious/Ambivalent Is unsure whether the caregiver will meet his/her needs When the caregiver is present, the baby will play, but will not wander too far from the caregiver… seems anxious even with the caregiver present When the caregiver leaves, the baby is very distressed When the caregiver returns, the baby is inconsolable and takes a very long time to calm down and return to play

7. Long-Term Effects of Attachment Style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bul1meciGE (start at 0:45) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bul1meciGE Insecure attachment has been linked to illness, social problems, and psychological disorders