Attachment
I. What are emotional attachments
II. Theories of attachment
A.Behaviorist approach
1.Drive reduction model
2.Operant conditioning model
3.Problems with the models
B.Psychoanalytic approach
1.Freud’s theory
2.Erikson’s theory
C.Cognitive-developmental approach
D.Ethological approach
1.Background of the theory
2.The developmental course of attachment
III.Measurement of attachment
A.The “strange situation”
B.The attachment Q-sort
C.Patterns of attachment
IV.Factors affecting attachment
A.Maternal deprivation and institutionalization
B.Quality of care-giving
C.Infant characteristics
D.Family circumstances
Theories of Attachment
Behaviorist Approach
The importance of feeding and drive reduction
• Elicits positive responses
• Mothers provide infants with additional
comforts, such as warmth, vocalizations
• All occur in single setting
• Mom becomes source of reinforcement
Theories of Attachment
Behaviorist Approach
Harlow & Zimmerman (1959)
Harry Harlow
• Contact comfort
Theories of Attachment
Behaviorist Approach
Blanket Attachment and Play
Blanket Attached
Mean Duration of Play
Blanket Non-Attached
Mother
Blanket
Toy
No Object
Experimental Condition
Theories of Attachment
Behaviorist Approach
The importance of feeding and drive reduction
• Elicits positive responses
• Mothers provide infants with additional
comforts, such as warmth, vocalizations
• All occur in single setting
• Mom becomes source of reinforcement
Operant Conditioning model
• Infants look, smile, and seek proximity
because mom reciprocates with smiles, hugs
• The greater number of behaviors that get
reinforced by particular person, the more one
is attached to that person
Theories of Attachment
Psychoanalytic Approach
Freudian approach
• Similar to drive reduction
• Become attached to person who satisfies basic
biological drives (typically Mom)
• Relationship with Mom then prototype for
romantic relationships throughout life
Erikson’s approach
• 1st developmental stage: birth – 1 yr: Trust vs.
mistrust
• Children become attached to people who
minister to needs
• Importance of mother’s overall responsiveness
Theories of Attachment
Cognitive-Developmental Approach
Little to say about which people to whom one
becomes attached
• Suggests that attachment depends, in part, on
level of cognitive development
• Must be able to discriminate familiar persons
from strangers
• Must recognize that familiar persons have
permanence – object permanence abilities, as
discussed earlier
• Thus, timing of attachment related to timing
of development of cognitive ability
Theories of Attachment
Ethological Approach
John Bowlby
Central feature of theory
• Babies born with in-born set of behaviors
• Behaviors elicit parent care, thus increase change of
survival
Theories of Attachment
Ethological Approach
John Bowlby
The developmental course of attachment
• The preattachment phase (birth – 6 wks)
• Behavior a matter of genetically determined
reflexive responses with survival value
• Promote physical contact
• Attachment in the making (6 wks – 6/8 mos)
• Orient and respond with preference towards mom
• No specific attachment yet
• The phase of clearcut attachment (6/8 mos – 18/24
mos)
• Shows separation anxiety
• Mom as a “safe haven”
• Formation of a reciprocal relationship (18/24 mos – )
• Decrease in separation anxiety
Theories of Attachment
Ethological Approach
Four phases produce enduring affectionate tie to
caregiver
• Use as a secure based in parent’s absence
• Used as an internal working model
• Produces attachment-related expectations for parental
comfort and support
• Johnson, Dweck, & Chen (2007)
• Habituated to display of small and large ovals
• Tested with responsive and unresponsive caregiver
Measurement of Attachment
The Strange Situation
Mary Ainsworth (nee Salter)
Background
• University of Toronto B.A., M.A., & Ph.D
• Ph.D supervisor – William E. Blatz (child development
and security theory)
• Moved to England in 1950, worked at the Tavistock
Clinic with John Bowlby
• Moved to Uganda in 1953
• Moved to Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
in 1955
Measurement of Attachment
The Strange Situation
Episode
Persons Present
Duration
Description of Activity
1
Mother, baby and
observer
30 sec
Observer introduces mother and
baby to experimental room, then
leaves
2
Mother and baby
3 min
Mother is nonparticipant while baby
explores. If necessary, play is
stimulated after 2 min.
3
Stranger, mother
and baby
3 min
Stranger enters, Min. 1: stranger
silent; Min. 2: stranger talks with
mother; Min 3: stranger approaches
baby. After 3 min., mother leaves
4
Stranger and baby
3 min or
less
First separation episode. Stranger’s
behavior is geared to that of baby
5
Mother and baby
3 min or
more
First reunion episode. Mother greets
and comforts baby, then tries to
settle baby into play. Mother then
leaves, waves bye-bye
6
Baby alone
3 min or
less
Second separation episode
7
Stranger & baby
3 min or
less
Continuation of second separation.
Stranger enters and gears behavior
to that of baby
8
Mother and baby
3 min
Second reunion episode. Mother
enters, greets baby. Stranger leaves
Measurement of Attachment
Patterns of Attachment
Securely Attached
• Distressed during separation
• Seeks out mother during reunion
• About 60% of North-American infants
Insecure – Avoidant
• Unresponsive to mom
• Avoids parent during reunion
• About 15% of North-American infants
Insecure – Resistant
• Seeks closeness to mom, fails to explore
• Combines clinginess and resistant behavior upon
return
• About 10% of North-American infants
Insecure – Disorganized/Disoriented
•
•
•
•
Combination of avoidant and ambivalent/resistant
Confusion over whether to approach or avoid
During reunion may act dazed or freeze
About 15% of North-American infants
Measurement of Attachment
Attachment Q-sort
Observation of 90 behaviors
• “The child greets the mother with a big smile when
entering the room”
• “When the mother moves far away, the child follows
along”
• “The child uses the mother’s facial expression as a
good source of information about something risky”
Sorted into 9 categories
• Not at all descriptive – Highly descriptive
Factors Affecting the Development
of Attachment
René Spitz
Early availability of a consistent caregiver
• Work with institutionalized infants (Spitz, 1946)
• Work with infants in institution with good infantcaregiver ratio, but high staff turnover
• Research on adoption of European orphans
• Indiscriminate friendliness
• ERP differences in the processing of emotional
information
Factors Affecting the Development
of Attachment
Early availability of a consistent caregiver
• Work with institutionalized infants (Spitz, 1946)
• Work with infants in institution with good infantcaregiver ratio, but high staff turnover
• Research on adoption of European orphans
• Indiscriminate friendliness
• ERP differences in the processing of emotional
information
Quality of caregiving
• Impact of sensitive caregiving
• How crucial are such factors?
• Gusii of Kenya
• Mothers in Puerto Rico
Infant characteristics
• Infant difficulties and temperament
• Combination of factors
Family circumstances
• Stressors in the family
• Parent’s own history of attachment
• Internal working models and reconstructed
memories