Developing and identity

Attachment?

The development of a mutual and intense emotional relationship between an infant and a caregiver

Cupboard theory?

Babies become attached to the person who feeds them (Freud)

Ainsworth’s strange situation paradigm?

A way to measure the Childs attachment behaviour based on how the child reacts when the mother leaves and returns

What are the 4 attachment styles and who developed them?

• Secure attachment - Ainsworth

• Insecurely attached avoidant - Ainsworth

• Insecurely attached ambivalent - Ainsworth

• Insecure disorganized attachment - Main & Solomon

Secure attachemnt?

A healthy bond where infant use their caregiver as a safe base to explore disteress upon seperatiion

Insecurely attached avoidant?

Infants who ignore or avoid their caregivers upon reunion showing little distress when left alone and treating strangers similarly to caregivers

Insecurely attached ambivalent?

Children who are clingy highly distressed by separation and unable to be comforted upon reunion

Insecure disorganised attachment?

Confused contradictory and fearful behaviour upon caregiver reunion (stems form inconsistent or abusive caregiving)

Evaluate the strange situation?

• It reflects real life setting

• There are cultural differences in the frequency of attachment styles

What is the role of early attachment?

• There may be some relationship between experience of attachment in childhood and adult relationship

• Longitudinal research indicates the model are relatively stable although the can change over lifespans

• Attachment theory assumes that internal working model continues through lifespan

Strengths of attachment theory?

• Attachment theory recognises the importance of early experience in shaping individual expectations and behaviour in the future

• The wide range of cross-cultural research supports the theory

• Attachment-based intervention such as attachment-focused therapy can address relationship difficulties and promote secure attachment

Limitations of attachment theory?

• Attachment theory early formation focus on mother child relationship and neglect caregiver relationships and broader social contexts

• Attachment theory initially focus on infant caregiver relationships and neglect adult attachments

• Some individuals do not neatly fir into the attachment styles

• The theory is deterministic simplifying the complexity of human relationships