Stages of Development: The Importance of Early Relationships

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering attachment theory, Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation classifications, Baumrind's parenting styles, and their developmental consequences.

Attachment

An enduring emotional bond between babies and specific people, characterized by proximity seeking, separation distress, happiness at reunion, and orientation toward caregivers (social referencing).

Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

A procedure developed by Mary Ainsworth to study the manifestation of the attachment relationship, most often used with children at 15-months.

Secure Attachment

An attachment classification where the infant is distressed when the mother leaves, avoidant of strangers when alone but friendly when the mother is present, positive and happy upon reunion, and uses the mother as a safe base to explore the environment.

Insecure Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment

An attachment classification where the infant displays intense distress when the mother leaves, avoids and fears strangers, approaches the mother upon reunion while resisting contact or pushing her away, cries more, and explores less.

Insecure Avoidant/Dismissing Attachment

An attachment classification where the infant shows no distress upon maternal departure, plays normally with a stranger who can comfort them well, and shows little interest upon the mother's return.

Cognitive Consequences of Secure Attachment

Outcomes in which securely attached children exhibit more complex exploratory behavior, are more persistent and effective in problem-solving, experience less frustration and whining, achieve higher IQ scores, and persist through challenges.

Social Consequences of Secure Attachment

Outcomes in which securely attached children demonstrate more trust and affection, display less aggression, show higher empathy and self-esteem, possess stronger social skills and emotional understanding, and are better liked by peers.

Baumrind's Parenting Dimensions

The framework introduced by Diana Baumrind (1967, 1987) that classifies parenting styles across two primary dimensions: Demandingness (control, strictness) and Responsiveness (warmth).

Authoritative Parenting

A parenting style high in demandingness and high in responsiveness, characterized by a loving home, high behavioral standards, consistent rule enforcement, explaining the rationale behind rules, and including children in decision-making.

Outcomes of Authoritative Parenting

Children raised with this style tend to be happy, self-confident, curious, independent, likable, respectful of others, and successful in school.

Authoritarian Parenting

A parenting style high in demandingness and low in responsiveness, characterized by low emotional warmth, rigid rules set without considering the child's needs, an expectation of unquestioned obedience, and minimal give-and-take discussion.

Outcomes of Authoritarian Parenting

Children raised with this style tend to be distrustful, discontent, withdrawn, anxious, low in self-confidence, unhappy, hostile, coercive with others, and often rebellious or defiant.

Permissive Parenting

A parenting style low in demandingness and high in responsiveness, characterized by warmth and support, low behavioral expectations, rare discipline or punishment, and allowing children to make most of their own decisions.

Outcomes of Permissive Parenting

Children raised with this style tend to be selfish, unmotivated, dependent on others, demanding of attention, disobedient, and impulsive.

Uninvolved (Rejecting-Neglecting) Parenting

A parenting style low in demandingness and low in responsiveness, characterized by absent or minimal emotional support, few behavioral expectations, disinterest in the child's life, and parents being overwhelmed by personal issues.

Outcomes of Uninvolved Parenting

Children raised with this style tend to have low self-control, poor frustration tolerance, a lack of long-term goals, low academic performance, and elevated risks for delinquency and drug or alcohol use.