Attachment Theory: Bowlby and Ainsworth Flashcards

Study Notes

Bowlby

Early social attachment between an infant and caretaker is critical for normal development.
Infants have an innate tendency to form attachments, primarily with their mothers.

Ainsworth

Expanded on Bowlby's research, identifying variations in attachment security.
Differences in attachment security impact personality and social relationships in infancy and later life.

Attachment Theory Basics

Infants require a "secure base" from their primary caregiver to build trust.
Secure attachments promote healthy development, while insecure attachments lead to difficulties.
Attachment styles influence relationships throughout an individual's life journey.

Secure Base

A responsive caregiver provides a safe environment for exploration.
Appropriate caregiver responses result in confident exploration, while inadequate responses create insecurity.
Typically, the caregiver is the child's mother or anyone meeting the infant's needs.

Strange Situation

An experimental procedure designed to assess infants' attachment security.
Involves eight three-minute episodes with the infant, parent, and researcher in a lab setting.

Secure Attachment

Infants feel free to explore their environment with their parents present.
Displays distress at separation but shows joy upon reunion with the parent.

Insecure Attachment

Resistant Attachment: Clingy behavior, distress during separation, and anger during reunion.
Avoidant Attachment: Lack of concern when the parent leaves and indifference upon return.

Securely Attached

Belief that the caregiver provides consistent protection and support.
While upset by separation, securely attached infants are generally happy and engaged when the caregiver is present.

Insecure-Avoidant

Perception that the caregiver will not protect or provide support in stressful situations.
Shows no protest when the caregiver departs and may favor strangers over the parent.

Insecure-Resistant

Exhibits uncertainty about caregiver support during stress.
Stays close to the parent and displays distress upon separation, with mixed behaviors during reunion.

Disorganized or Disoriented

Lacks a consistent strategy for managing stress.
Behaves in contradictory ways, often seen in cases of abuse or neglect.

Factors Influencing Attachment

Caregiver Sensitivity: Secure attachments are less likely if infants are raised in orphanages or in environments lacking sensitivity.
Family Stress: Exposure to verbal abuse impacts attachment security.
Parental Psychopathology: Depressed parents often have poorer interactions with their children.
Infant's Temperament: An irritable infant with unsupportive parents is more likely to develop insecure attachments.

Stability of Attachment Styles

Securely attached infants from stable, middle-class families typically maintain their attachment style.
Stressful life events can alter attachment styles, especially in dysfunctional families.

Attachment Theory Predictions

The quality of early attachments predicts later development.
Longitudinal studies link secure attachments in infancy to increased competence in later tasks.

Predictions for Attachment Style Impact

Strong correlation between attachment style and effective social functioning.
Affects sociability, self-esteem, academic performance, teenage behavior, and parenting attitudes.

Cultural Variations in Attachment Styles

The four basic types of attachment are observed across different cultures, indicating universality in attachment behaviors.

Description

Explore key concepts from Attachment Theory through these flashcards focused on Bowlby and Ainsworth. Learn about the innate tendencies in infant-caregiver attachment and the variations in attachment security. This quiz aids in understanding foundational ideas in child development and psychology.