emotional development: temperament and attachment

what is temperament?

individuals differences in emotion reactivity and self-regulation

• stable and biologically based

what is temperament? Thomas & Chess

CATERGORICAL APPROACH

• easy babies (40%)

  • adjusted readily yo new experiences

  • quickly established routines

    • generally cheerful in mood and easy to calm

• difficult babies (10%)

  • slow to adjust to new experiences 

  • likely to react negatively to new stimuli and events

  • irregular in bodily functions

• slow-to-warm-up babies (15%)

  • somewhat difficult at first but become easier over time

what are the 9 Thomas & Chess observations?

• adaptability

• regularities

• intitial reaction

• adaptability

• intensity

• mood

• distractibility

• persistence-attention span

• sensory threshold

what does temperament assess?

• positive and negative emotion as separate

• differentiate among types of negative emotionally

• assess different types of regulatory capacity

  • physiological, emotional, attention, behavioural

explain Mary Rothbart’s Theory of Temperament

DIMENSIONAL APPROACH

• structure of temperament same across many cultures → temperament is biologically based

• focus on self-regulation/effortful control

• temperament changes as brain matures

what is surgency/extraversion? (Mary Rothbart’s Theory of Temperament)

child is generally happy, active, vocal, and seeks stimulation

what is effortful control? (Mary Rothbart’s Theory of Temperament)

child can focus attention, is not readily distracted, and can inhibit responses

what is negative affect? (Mary Rothbart’s Theory of Temperament)

child is angry, fearful, frustrated, shy, and not easily soothed

how does nature influence temperament?

• twin studies show heredity influence

• depends on temperamental dimension (negative affect)

how does nuture influence temperament?

environment

1. affected by parents’ behaviour (responsive parents → less emotional infants)

2. genetic effects amplified' (negative affect → harsh parenting)

3. make children susceptible to environmental influences (DRD4 gene s environment)

what is goodness of fit?

when child’s temperament matches the environment, the development is optimal

• responsive/sensitive parenting = adapting to child’s needs

what is the stability of temperament?

• stable through infancy, becomes stable in preschool

• temperament x personality

• environment may alter temperament characteristics

name other aspects of development

difficult temperament → behavioural problems

better self-regulation → better outcomes

what is attachment?

an emotional, affectionate, and reciprocal bond with a specific person that is enduring across space and time

what is attachment accroding to John Bowlby?

children are biologically predisposed to develop attachments with caregivers as a means of increasing the chances of their own survival

stage 1: preattachment - Bowlby

• birth-6~8 weeks: learn to recognize mother’s smell and sound

• cry, smile, gaze → caregiver responses

  •  interactive system that becomes a foundation for attachment

stage 2: attachment in the making - Bowlby

• 6~8 weeks to 6~8 months

  • infants begin to respond preferentially to familira people (vs strangers)

stage 2: true attachment - Bowlby

• 6~8 months to 18 months

  • primary caregiver is the secure base = provides a sense of security that makes it possible for the infant to explore the environment

stage 4: reciprocal attachment - Bowlby

• 18 months +

• children become active partners in attachment relationship7

explain “The Strange Situation“

lab procedure to assess infant’s attachment to their primary caregivers

what does secure attachmen look like - Ainsworth

• high quality, unambivalent relationship with caregiver

• explores environment

• upset when the caregiver leaves

• happy to see the caregiver return

• recovers quickly 

• 62-68%

what does insecure/resistant (ambivalent/anxious) look like - Ainsworth

• clingy and stay close to caregiver

• become very upset/angry when the caregiver leaves the room

• not readily comforted by strangers

• not easily comforted by the caregiver 

• “up-regulating“ - expressing emotions intensely

• 10%

what does insecure/avoidant look like - Ainsworth

• indifferent/avoidant of caregiver

• if they become upset alone, easily comforted by a stranger

• when the caregiver returns, tend to avoid them

• “down-regulating“ - inhibiting emotion

• 15%

what does disorganized look like - Ainsworth

• no consistent way of coping with the stress (no patten)

• behaviour is confusing and contradictory

• appear dazed/disoriented

• common among maltreated children BUT disorganized attachment ≠ maltreatment

• < 15%

explain the Tronick’s Still Face experiement

• infants rely on social engagement for emotional regulation and learning

• consistent, responsive caregiving → secure attachment → supports emotional resilience and social development

• neglect can negatively impact attachment and increase stress 

what is the internal working model of attachment?

• based in parent-child attachment 

• child develops mental representation of self, attachment figures, relationships

• guides children’s interaction with others in lifespan

what are the impacts of attachment?

• closer, more harmonious relationships with peers

• positive peer and romantic relationships and emotional health

• higher grades and more involved in school

what is attachment in fathers?

• first mothers, then fathers

• the more involved, the more secure to child’s attachment 

• prefer to play with fathers, comfort from mothers

what is attachment for culture?

• secure attachment found across cultures → adaptive

• prevalence of insecure attachment types differs

  • insecure/resistant - Japan

  • insecure/avoidance - Germany

what is secure adult attachment?

• describe childhood experiences objectively and value impact of relationship with caregiver on development

• make and maintain healthy relationships, trust, comfort in closeness

what is dismissive adult attachment?

• deny value of childhood, unable to recall, idealize caregivers

• highly independent, avoid emotional closeness

what is preoccupied adult attachment?

• describe their childhood emotionally + often express anger/confusion regarding relationships with caregivers

• strong desire for intimacy and closeness + constant strong fear of being abandoned/rejected

why do we care about the impacts of attachment?

• adult attachment style was predicted by maternal sensitivity

• secure adult provide sensitive caregiving → secuarly attached infants

• childcare does not influence the quality of attachment

what is the circle of security?

• framework understanding child’s difficult behaviour and caregiver’s challenges in responding to thsoe behaviours

• focus on child’s attachment needs and caregiver’s state of mind

• age: 0-6/7

• improved child attachment security, quality of caregiving, parenting efficacy

• reduced prenatal depression

connect parenting 

• 8-19 yrs

• reduce adolescent aggressive behaviour, conduct problems, internalizing problems

• increase parenting satisfaction and efficacy