Attachment Theory PDF

**Attachment** emotional bonds of affection that develop between infants and their caregiver. **The Formation of Attachment Theory** - Psychology and medicine discouraged emotional affection and physical contact in the early 1900s. - Many Psychologists believed that emotional affection l...

**Attachment** emotional bonds of affection that develop between infants and their caregiver. **The Formation of Attachment Theory** - Psychology and medicine discouraged emotional affection and physical contact in the early 1900s. - Many Psychologists believed that emotional affection led to poor mental health. - Medical Practitioners noticed a relationship between physical contact and sickness. A researcher named **Harry Harlow** decided to evaluate how contact comfort inf uence the social development of a group of rhesus monkeys in the late 1958. **Attachment Theory** This research led **John Bowlby** to theorize that infants had a biological need for contact comfort (love). Infants are biologically programmed to coo, smile, and f Irt to get an emotional response from caregiver (attachment). **Features of Attachment** Proximity Maintenance; the need to be physically close to the attachment figure Separation Anxiety, the emotional distress seen when separated from the attachment figure Safe Haven, retreating to the attachment figure when scared Secure Base: a feeling of being able to explore the world because of the dependability of the attachment figure. **Types of Attachment** **Mary Ainsworth**, a colleague of Bowlby, expanded attachment theory by type (secure/insecure. She developed each type of series of observational study called the strange situation. **Ainsworth\'s Strange Situation Assessment** 1\. Parent and child are alone in a room. 2\. Child explores the room with parental supervision. 3\. Stranger enters, talks to parent. & approaches child 4\. Parent quietly leaves the room 5\. Parent returns and comforts child **Secure Attachment** Babies will freely explore their environment and occasionally return to parent for comfort. Babies will cry when parent leaves, but crying quickly stops when parent returns. Most babies have a secure attachment to their caregiver (60%). **(Insecure) Anxious-Ambivalent Attachment** Babies are reluctant to leave the side of the parent. Babies show hostility toward parent upon return, often crying for extended periods. About 10% of babies are found to have anxious-ambivalent attachment. **Insecure) Avoidant Attachment Babies** show little interest in parent, often not crying when parent leaves. Upon return, babies continue to show little interest and will not seek contact comfort. About 15% of babies show an avoidant attachment. **(Insecure) Disorganized** **Main and Solomon** (1986) Babies show no consistent reactions. Both anxious-ambivalent and avoidant attachment are present. Babies appear to make little, if any, eye contact. About 15% of babies are found to have disorganized attachment. **Attachment and Personality Development** **Secure**: confident, trusting, friendly **Anxious-Ambivalent:** jealous, not confident,underappreciated **Avoidant-** suspicious, aloof, skeptical **Disorganized**: moody, fearful, stress sensitivity **Interesting Controversy** **On Becoming Baby Wise**: Giving Your **Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep** is a book written by **Gary Ezzo** (former MVCC student) and **Robert Bucknam**. The book encouraged parents to \"direct\" the feeding, sleeping, and play activities of the newborn. Attachment proponents became critical calming the book encouraged the disruption of the attachment process. **Kohlberg\'s Theory on Moral Development** **Biography** **Lawerence Kohlberg** born in **1927** Grew up in Bronxville, New York Died on **January 17th, 1987** at the age of 59 Kohlberg became a professor of education and social psychology at Harvard in 1968 His book on moral development is used by teachers around the world to promote moral reasoning**.**  **LEVEL ONE** **Pre-Conventional** **Stage 1** **Obedience & Punishment** Earliest stage of moral development. Common in young children. They see rules as fixed and absolute.Morality is external.At this stage, Children see rules as fixed and obeying the rules important because it is a means to avoid punishment. **Stage 2** **Individualism and Exchange** At this stage, moral development, children account for individual points of view and judge actions based on how they serve individual needs. In the Heinz dilemma, children argued that the best course of action was the choice that best- served Heinz\'s needs. Reciprocity is possible at this point in moral development, but only if it serves one\'s own interests. **LEVEL TWO** **Conventional** **Stage 3** **Interpersonal Relationships** Often referred to as the \"good boy- good girl\" orientation. At this stage children who are by now usually entering their teens, see morality as more than simple deals. Stage of moral development is focused on living up to social expectations and roles (of the family and community). There is an emphasis on conformity, bein g \"nice,\" and behave in \"good\" ways. Good behavior means having good motives and interpersonal feelings such as love, empathy, trust, and concern for others. **Stage 4** **Maintaining Social Order** People begin to consider society as a whole when making judgment. Law and order focus on maintaining law and order and obeying laws Heinz\'s motives Consequences of breaking the law Stage 1 and stage 4 are giving the same response Similarity is they both agree that breaking the law is wrong Differences is for Stage 1 the child can\'t explain why it is wrong, while Stage 4 the adults are able to deliberate Education \- Follow rules and guide lines It is compulsory for all school-age students to attend school Respect property of others Wear appropriate uniform appropriate shoes to be- **LEVEL THREE** **Post-Conventional** **Stage 5** Social Contract and Individual Right At this stage, people begin to account for the differing values, opinions and beliefs of other people. Rules of law are important for maintaining a society, but members of the society should agree upon these standards. **Stage 6** **Universal Principles** Based upon universal ethical principles and abstract reasoning. Based on respect for universal principle and the demands of individual conscience -Takes an idealized look at how people might coordinate their interests. At this stage, people follow these internalized principles of justice, even if they conflict with laws and rules. Define the principles by which agreement will be most just. If children are to reorganize their thinking, they must be more **Does moral reasoning necessarily lead to moral behavior?** Kohlberg\'s theory is concerned with moral thinking, but there is a big difference between knowing what we ought to do versus our actual actions. Is justice the only aspect of moral reasoning we should consider? Critics have pointed out that Kohlberg\'s theory of moral development overemphasizes the concept as justice when making moral choices. Factors such as compassion, caring and other interpersonal feelings may play an important part in moral reasoning. Does Kohlberg\'s theory overemphasize Western philosophy? Individualistic cultures emphasize personal rights while collectivist cultures stress the importance of society and community. Eastern cultures may have different moral. outlooks that Kohlberg\'s theory **ErikErikson Psychosocial Theory** Erikson proposed a lifespan model of development, taking in five stages up to the age of 18 years and three further stages beyond, well into adulthood. Erikson suggests that there is still plenty of room for continued growth and development throughout one\'s life. Erikson put a great deal of emphasis on the adolescent period, feeling it was a crucial stage for developing a person\'sidentity**.** Like Freud and many others, Erik Erikson maintained that personality, develops in a predetermined order, and builds upon each previous stage. The outcome of this \'maturation timetable is a wide and integrated set of life skills and abilities that function together within the autonomous individual. However, instead of focusing on sexual development (like Freud), he was interested in how childrensocialize and how this affects their sense of self.  **ERIKSON\'S STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT** TRUST VS. MISTRUST Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust Erikson\'s first psychosocial crisis occurs during the first year or so of life During this stage the infant is uncertain about the world in which they live. To resolve these feelings of uncertainty the infant looks towards their primary caregiver for stability and consistency of care. AUTONOMY VS. SHAME AND DOUBT Children need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and independence. The child is developing physically and becoming more mobile. Between the ages of 18 months and three, children begin to assert their independence, by walking away from their mother, picking which toy to play with, and making choices about what they like to wear, to eat, etc. If children in this stage are encouraged and supported in their increased independence, they become more confident and secure in their own ability to survive in the world. If children are criticized, overly controlled, or not given the opportunity to assert themselves, they begin to feel inadequate in their ability to survive, and may then become overly dependent upon others, lack self- esteem, and feel a sense of shame or doubt in their own abilities. INITIATIVE VS. GUILT Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment. Around age three and continuing to age five, children assert themselves more frequently. These are particularly lively, rapid-developing years in a child\'s life. It is at this stage that the child will begin to ask many questions as his thirst for knowledge grows. If the parentstreat the child\'s questions as trivial, a nuisance or embarrassing or other aspects of their behavior as threatening then the child may have feelings ofguilt for \"being a nuisance\". Too much guilt can make the child slow to interact with others and may inhibit their creativity. Some guilt is, of course, necessary otherwise the child would not know how to exercise self control or have a conscience. A healthy balance between initiative and guilt is important. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of purpose. INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY Children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Children are at the stage (aged 5 to 12 yrs) where they will be learning to read and write, to do sums, to make things on their own. Teachers begin to take an important role in the child\'s life as they teach the child specific skills. It is at this stage that the child\'s peer group will gain greater significance and will become a major source of the child\'s self esteem. The child now feels the need to win approval by demonstrating specific competencies that are valued by society, and begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments. If the child cannot develop the specific skill they feel society is demanding (e.g. being athletic) then they may develop a sense of inferiority. Some failure maybe necessary so that the child can develop some modesty. Yet again, a balance between competence and modesty is necessary. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of competence. IDENTITY VS. ROLE CONFUSION Teens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity During adolescence (age 12 to 18 yrs), the transition from childhood to adulthood is most important. Children are becoming more independent, and begin to look at the future in terms of career, relationships, families, housing, etc. The individual wants to belong to a society and f tin. This is a major stage in development where the child has to learn the roles he will occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine his identity and try to find out exactly who he or she is. Erikson suggests that two identities are involved: the sexual and the occupational. In response to role confusion or **identity** **crisis** an adolescent may begin to experiment with different lifestyles (e.g. work, education or political activities). Also pressuring someone into an identity can result in rebellion in the form of establishing a negative identity, and in addition to this feelings of unhappiness. INTIMACY VS. ISOLATION Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Occurring in young adulthood (ages 18 to 40), we begin to share ourselves more intimately with others. We explore relationships leading toward longer term commitments with someone other than a family member. Successful completion of this stage can lead to comfortable relationships and a sense of commitment, safety, and care within a relationship. Avoiding intimacy, fearing commitment and relationships can lead to isolation, loneliness, and sometimes depression. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of **love**. GENERATIVITY VS. STAGNATION Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them often by having children During middle adulthood (ages 40 to 65), we establish our careers, settle down within a relationship, begin our own families and develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture. We give back to society through raising our children, being productive at work, and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. By failing to achieve these objectives, we become stagnant and feel unproductive. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of care EGO INTEGRITY VS. DESPAIR OLDER ADULTS NEED TO LOOK BACK ON LIFE AND FEEL FULFILLMENT As we grow older (65 years and over) and become senior citizens, we tend to slow down our productivity, and explore life as a retired person. It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and are able to develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life. Erik Erikson believed if we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilt about our past, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of **wisdom**. Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life with a sense of closure and completeness, and also accept death without fear. \"The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won\'t wait while you do the work.\" - Erik Erikson