1. seeking to be near the attachment figure

2. being distressed when seperated from them

3. showing pleasure when reunited with them

4. orientation towards them, frequent contact made

Schaffer and Emerson described attachment as 3 stages:

1. Indiscriminate attachment

- up to 6 months

- characteristics inc: doesnt matter who holds baby, it will cry and smile

2. Specific Attachment

- 7m to 1year

- one specific attachment forms usually with the caregiver

- baby is destressed when seperated ( seperation anxiety)

-wary of strangers ( stranger anxiety)

3. Multiple Attachments

- 1year onwards

- attachment to another person is shown. multipe attachments formed.

Learning Theory

Behavourist perspective believes that all behaviour is learnt through:

-Classical Conditioning

-Operant Conditioning

Watson was interested in a stimulus and the response will follow from the stimulus.

Behavourism is know as Stimulus Response - Learning Theory.

Ivan Pavlov 1849-1936

Dogs and salivation. He carried out studies to investigate whether the respose could be trigger by other stimuli.

Investigated to see possibility of a dog learning to assosciate a novel stimulus with salivation reflex.

Classical Condition is learning assosciated with a Stimulus and a Response.

Behaviourist Perspective

BT SKINNER 1904-90

- operant is between behavourist and the consquences

-principle is that behaviour is shaped and maintained by consquences

- believed behaviour is learnt.

Key Ideas:

Reinforcement - positive outcome of behaviour that makes it more likely to be repeated

Shaping - gradually modifying behaviour using reinforcement, the behaviour becomes more like the target behaviour

Skinner believed the best way to change behaviour was positive reinforcement.

Punishment should be avoided as

1. unpleasent,bad behaviour is likely to reoccur

2. no indication of what desired behaviour should be

3. undesirable effects

Dollard and Miller 1950

Learning theory explanation was further developed by secondary drive hypothesis.

They proposed that:

Primary drives , are motivational states arising from psychological needs.

These are then repeatedly met by mother. who needs satisfaction.

This becomes a secondary drive hypothesis.

Feeding is reinforcing to a hungery child. Mum is close during feeding, feeding postively reinforces attachment.

1. Schaffer and Emerson - found that a large pop. of infacts had primary attachments with people who seldomly fed thme, so attachment cannot be explained by feeding alone.

2. Harlow and Zimmerman - investigated bias of attachment in monkeys. They concluded that mothering was not just about feeding. Young primates needed warmth.

1. promotes safety

2. promotes development of a healthy relationship

3. provides a secure base for exploration

triggers for attachment process.

Infants display social releasers such as crying and laughing as people are predispositioned to respond.

meaning that the bond between a mother and child is reciporcal. A child needs its mother for food and warmth. A mother needs a child to pass on its genes. 

• 0-8 weeks - infant friendly towards all, shows little discrimination between them. 
• 8w-6months - infant starts to show preference to primary caregiver
• 6m-2yrs - uses mum as secure base. seperation anxiety and stranger anxiety kicks in. 
• 2yrs onwards - infant develops insight into primary care giver. behaviour can be mirrored. equal relationship. 

[image]He was a trained psychoanalyst

• the psychodynamic perspective is mainly concerned with the unconcious drive. 
• It also recognises the importance of childhood experiences for later development

it is probelmatic to appy findings form non human, animal research to humans. 

BUT :D

We have general support from Harlow's monkeys:

research has shown than monkeys are genetically closer to humans, than geese. 

Monkeys develop long term social and sexual probelms when reared without a mother such as: they are withdrawn, aggressive, self harm, cant reproduce.

But if they had no social contact either - their behaviour may be a result of that. 

Research from cross cultures found that the pattern off development of seperation anxiety was similar.

it emerges in the 2nd half of the 1st year and declines steadily. 

Note: there is evidence of this universally, this supports it being innate ( born with) 

:D used the term MONOTROPY to explain seperation anxiety 

BUT

:(  there is probelms with this.  

Bowlby: seperation anxiety showed attachment bond was formed. He believed at the same time children developed fear of strangers.                              Monotropy: the need to become attached to one other person. He said that these behaviours were adaptive. The idea of Monotropy has been challenged.                                                     

Strange situation Test

- lab based research

to investigate mother and infant attachment

Developed by Margaret Ainsworth

Test identified secure/insecure attachmen

Strange situation:

conditions

Children tested 12-18 months

8 episodes - 3 mins duration

yet time was cut short if the child was distressed