Attachment Quiz

The three types of attachment identified by Ainsworth are:

• Secure attachment
• Insecure-avoidant attachment
• Insecure-resistant attachment

The stages of attachment were identified by Schaffer and Emerson. There are four stages of attachment:

• Asocial stage (0-6 weeks)
• Indiscriminate attachment (6 weeks to 7 months)
• Specific attachment (7-9 months)
• Multiple attachments (10 months onwards)

Research suggests that the father can be an important figure in a child’s development, often contributing to play and stimulation. However, traditionally, mothers tend to take the primary caregiving role. The father's involvement can support the development of secure attachments and emotional regulation, although fathers may be less likely to engage in attachment-related behaviours like comforting in comparison to mothers.

Reciprocity refers to the turn-taking interactions between a caregiver and an infant, where both parties respond to each other’s signals. For example, when an infant smiles, the caregiver often responds with a smile, creating a back-and-forth pattern of communication.

Interactional synchrony is when the caregiver and infant mirror each other’s movements or facial expressions in a coordinated way. This synchrony helps to strengthen the emotional bond between them, contributing to the infant's social development.

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) identified four stages in the development of attachment in infants:

• Asocial stage (0-6 weeks): Infants show little preference for specific people, though they do respond to certain stimuli (e.g., smiling faces).
• Indiscriminate attachment (6 weeks to 7 months): Babies begin to show a preference for familiar people but still accept comfort from anyone.
• Specific attachment (7-9 months): Infants develop a strong attachment to one primary caregiver (usually the mother). They experience separation anxiety when the caregiver leaves.
• Multiple attachments (10 months onwards): After forming a primary attachment, infants begin to form secondary attachments with other significant people, such as fathers, siblings, or grandparents.

Lorenz (1935) conducted a study with greylag geese, where he demonstrated that the first moving object they saw after hatching (which was Lorenz himself) became their attachment figure. This phenomenon, known as imprinting, occurs within a critical period shortly after birth. Lorenz’s study suggested that attachment is innate and forms during a sensitive period, with strong emotional bonds forming to the first moving object encountered.

Harlow (1958) studied rhesus monkeys to investigate the nature of attachment. He found that infant monkeys preferred to stay close to a soft, comforting surrogate mother made of cloth, even though the other surrogate mother provided food. This demonstrated that attachment is not just about fulfilling physical needs (e.g., feeding) but is also deeply tied to emotional comfort and security. The study highlighted the importance of contact comfort in the development of attachment and the negative effects of maternal deprivation.

Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory: Bowlby argued that attachment is an evolutionary process, with infants having an innate ability to form attachments to a primary caregiver. His theory emphasizes the monotropy of attachment, meaning that the infant forms a unique, primary attachment (usually to the mother) that is central to the child’s development. The concept of the internal working model suggests that early attachment experiences shape future relationships.

Learning Theory of Attachment: The learning theory, based on classical and operant conditioning, argues that attachment behaviours are learned through interaction with caregivers. According to this theory, infants learn to associate their caregiver with the satisfaction of basic needs (such as food). Attachment is a learned response rather than an innate process.

The critical period in Bowlby’s theory refers to a specific window of time, typically up to the age of 2, during which attachment must form if it is to be successful and lead to healthy emotional development. Bowlby believed that if attachment did not occur within this period, it could result in emotional and developmental difficulties. He suggested that the attachment system was especially sensitive during this time.

An internal working model refers to a mental framework that children develop based on their early interactions with their caregivers. This model shapes how they perceive themselves, others, and relationships in general. For example, a child with a secure attachment to their caregiver will develop a positive internal working model, viewing themselves as worthy of love and trust. This model influences their future relationships throughout life, including friendships and romantic partnerships.

The Strange Situation is a structured observational procedure used by Ainsworth to assess the attachment behaviour of infants. It involves eight short episodes, including separations and reunions between the infant and their caregiver, in a controlled setting with a stranger present.
Ainsworth identified three main types of attachment:

• Secure attachment: Infants are distressed when the caregiver leaves but are easily comforted upon return, showing a healthy bond.
• Insecure-avoidant attachment: Infants are indifferent when the caregiver leaves and avoid contact upon their return, indicating a lack of trust or emotional connection.
• Insecure-resistant attachment: Infants are highly distressed when the caregiver leaves and may resist contact upon return, showing ambivalence or confusion.

Cultural variations in attachment refer to the differences in attachment patterns observed across different cultures. Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) conducted a meta-analysis of studies from various cultures and found that while secure attachment was the most common type across all cultures, there were differences in the proportions of avoidant and resistant attachments. For example, insecure-avoidant attachment was more common in Germany, while insecure-resistant attachment was more common in Japan. These findings highlight the influence of cultural practices and child-rearing methods on attachment patterns.

Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation suggested that continuous emotional care from a mother (or primary caregiver) is essential for normal psychological development. He argued that prolonged separation from the mother during the critical period could result in serious long-term emotional and cognitive consequences, including affectionless psychopathy (lack of guilt or empathy) and difficulty forming relationships. Bowlby’s study of young children in residential care, particularly those who experienced early maternal deprivation, supported his theory, indicating the importance of stable, continuous caregiving.

The Romanian orphan studies, particularly the work of Rutter et al. (2007), investigated the effects of early institutionalisation on attachment. Many children raised in Romanian orphanages were severely deprived of emotional care, leading to developmental delays, attachment disorders, and social difficulties. These studies showed that institutionalisation can have a profound negative effect on attachment, with children who were adopted before the age of 6 months showing better outcomes than those adopted later. This research highlighted the importance of early, sensitive caregiving and the negative impact of deprivation on emotional and cognitive development.