2. Psychology 3260: Personality & Social Development Don Hartmann Spring 2007 Lecture 15: ©Attachment I

3. When Attachment Relations Don’t Work the Way they Should!

4. Supplemental References: Attachment http://www.psychology.s unysb.edu/attachment/ http://www.psychology.s unysb.edu/attachment/ Cassidy, J., & Shaver, P. R. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of Attachment Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. NY: Guilford

5. Overview of Attachment I Lecture Text Overlap: Pp. 137-152 Lecture Background: The construct How conceived? Bowlby’s contributions How measured? E.g., Ainworth's Strange Situation Test Factors affecting the quality of attachment for parents & infants Resolving an insecure attachment Next: #16 (Attachment II)

6. Background Attachment to primary socializer widely conceived as important to infant's development “...adult affective relationships, adjustment with peers, and a variety of other attributes of the older child and adult can be traced back to the behavior of the infant with its mother...” (MacDonald, p. 117).

7. Bowlby’s Conception How conceived? As a behavioral system ‑‑ with a set of interchangeable, functionally equivalent behaviors Infant displays responses that bring it closer to caregiver Greater proximity seeking to caregiver than others. Stable proximity seeking across time.

8. Measuring Attachment: 1 Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Test For many years, the method of assessing attachment relationships. Lab-based method based on a standard method of caregiver interacting with infant. Infant, attachment figure (e.g., mom), and stranger involved in a series of interactions—infant with mom and stranger, infant alone with stranger, etc. [See text, p. 140, Table 5.1.] Coded by trained (certified) observers. Code categories include infant proximity and contact seeking; distance interactions; use of mother as secure base; distress upon separation; search behavior during separation; quality of child's greeting upon mom's return; avoidance or resistance to interaction with mom; willingness to be comforted

9. Measuring Attachment: 2  Attachment Q ‑ sort: Appropriate for somewhat older children. Mom or someone else familiar with the child sorts a large set of behavioral descriptor related to attachment to determine how typical they are of the child.  The Adult Attachment Interview (adult recollections). Adults are questioned (interviewed) about their early childhood relationships.

10. Attachment Categories A (anxious ‑ avoidant): 20% of NA infants. Infants tend to avoid or ignore their caregiver, who are themselves rejecting/unresponsive. An insecure attachment. B (secure): 65% of NA infants. Explores while with mom. Is glad to see her when she returns. If distressed, seeks contact with mom. C (anxious ‑ resistant): 10% in NA. Infants are ambivalent about mom, who is inconsistent. An insecure attachment. D (disorganized): 5-10% of NA infants. The most insecure because caregiver is neglectful/abusive. Infants display intense approach/avoidance.

11. A typical attachment relationship in the Dept. of Psychology!

12. How do attachment relationships form? Caregiving hypothesis: Insecure attachments result from caretakers who are depressed, themselves mistreated as children, or who have unwanted pregnancies Secure attachments produced by caregivers who are sensitive, positive, supportive, stimulating, synchronous, and mutual.

13. How to Raise a Securely Attached Child: Parent’s Contributions Sensitivity Positive attitude Synchronous interactions—the dance! Supportiveness Stimulation—but not in your face

14. The Dance, from Stern, Part I A normal feeding, not a social interaction, was underway. Then a change began. While talking and looking at me, the mother turned her head and gazed at the infant’s face. He was gazing at the ceiling, but out of the corner of his eye he saw her head turn toward him and he turned to gaze back at her... now he broke rhythm and stopped sucking. He let go of the nipple... as he eased into the faintest suggestion of a smile. The mother abruptly stopped talking and, as she watched his face begin to transform, her eyes opened a little wider and her eyebrows raised a bit. His eyes locked on to hers, and together they held motionless for an instant… This silent and almost motionless instant continued to hang until the mother suddenly shattered it by saying “Hey!” and simultaneously opened her eyes wider, raising her eyebrows further, and throwing her head up toward the infant.

15. The Dance (continued) Almost simultaneously, the baby’s eyes widened. His head tilted up and, as his smile broadened, the nipple fell out of his mouth. Now she said, “Well, hello!... Heello... Heeelloo,” so that her pitch rose and the “hellos” became longer and more emphatic on each successive repetition. With each phrase, the baby expressed more pleasure, and his body resonated almost like a balloon... filling a little more with each breath. The mother then paused and her face relaxed. They watched each other expectantly for a moment... then the baby suddenly took an initiative.... His head lurched forward, his hands jerked up, and a fuller smile blossomed. His mother was jolted into motion. She moved forward, mouth open and eyes alight, and said “Oooooh... ya wanna play do ya... yeah?...” And off they went [p.3].

16. How to Raise a Securely Attached Child: Infant Contributions Optimum infants social cues: Importance of rooting, sucking Attractive baby with “Kewpie doll" appearance (big eyes, fat cheeks). Not ugly, scrawny, & bruised. “Easy” rather than “difficult” or “slow to warm up” temperament Able to coordinated movements with mom— the dance

17. Why Should We Care (1)? Early relationships are predictive of (prototypes for) later relationships! How? Internal working models of self and generalized other (Bretherton) Better social-cognitive skills such as perspective-taking Better emotional control

18. Why Should We Care (2)? What happens to infants who were securely atttached? E.g., are better playmates (had better peer relations) at 3 years tend to form the kind of relationship with their romantic partners as they did in their early relationships. There are aspects of our society some believe may jeopardize the formation of secure attachments…more about that next time

19. Getting Help with Defective Attachment Relationships Fonagy (2001) states that “the past influences or biases expectations but does not determine these.” Where do you get help? Bibliotherapy (Pop psychology): Becoming attached: First relationships and how they shape our capacity to love by Robert Karen Involvement in a relationship with a securely attached individual. May not be sufficient. Relationship therapy.

21. Summary of Attachment I Lecture Background: The construct, its conception and measurement Attachment Classifications Factors affecting the quality of attachment for parents & babies Next: Lecture #16a: Attachment II— Maternal Employment Go in Peace

22. Supplementary: The Strange Situation Test (1) Epis.EventsABN* 1. E introduces parent & baby to playroom & leaves 2.Parent sits while babyParent as secure playsbase 3.Stranger enters, sits, and talks to parentStranger anxiety 4.Parent leave, strangerSeparation anxiety offers comfort if baby upset *Potential Attachment Behavior Noted

23. Supplementary: The Strange Situation Test (2) Epis.EventsABN 5.Parent returns, greets babyReunion & offers confort if baby is behavior upset. Stranger leaves. 6.Parent leaves room.Separation anxiety 7.Stranger enters & offersAbility to be comfortsoothed by stranger

24. Supplementary: The Strange Situation Test (3) Epis.EventsABN 8.Parent returns, greets babyReunion Offers comfort if necessary, andbehaviors Tries to interest baby in toys. Note: All episodes except the first last 3 minutes, although separation episodes may be abbreviated and reunion episodes extended for babies who become extremely upset.