Chapter 5, Part 1: Intimate Relationships in Infancy

1. Chapter 5, Part 1: Intimate Relationships in Infancy

2. Emotional Attachments What is attachment? A close emotional between an infant and a caregiver Characterized by emotions, mutual affection, proximity

3. Attachment is a reciprocal relationship Neonate Why do we fall in love with them? Starts before birth Parents become emotionally bonded, often right after birth Possibly during a sensitive period

4. Sensitive period? Klauss and Kennell Studied 28 economically disadvanted mothers who had just delivered (normal) Assigned to one of two groups: Typical hospital routine Shortly after birth, 1/2 hour feedings Extended contact Five �extra� hours a day of cuddling, including an hour within 3 hours of birth Findings: Mothers who had extended contact did more soothing, cuddling, nurturing. Their babies outperformed others on tests of physical and mental development.

5. Why would early contact matter? Hormones Neonate�s characteristics

6. Is early contact necessary? No. Emotional bonds take a long time to form.

7. Synchrony Infants have to adjust to our routines and we have to adjust to them. Routines include both activities and affect. Strong predictor of good, mutually satisfying attachments

8. Becoming Attached Four phases Asocial phase: birth to six weeks Indiscriminate attachments: 6 weeks to 6-7 months) Specific attachments: (7-9 months) Secure base behavior Multiple attachments

9. Theories of Attachment: 1 Psychoanalytic theory �I love you because you feed me.� Freud Oral stage Erikson Responsiveness more important than feeding

10. Theories of Attachment: 2 Learning theory Rewardingness leads to love Primary caregiver is secondary reinforcer Initially neutral stimulus that becomes a reinforcer because it is associated with another reinforcer �I love you because I associate you with food.�

11. Theories of Attachment: 2, cont�d. Learning theory, continued: A CHALLENGE: Harry Harlow�s experiments with monkeys Cloth mother and wire mother Monkeys were more likely to seek contact comfort with cloth mother, even if the wire mother fed them.

12. Theories of Attachment: 3 Cognitive-developmental theory Piaget Object permanence �I love you because I know you will be there.�

13. Theories of Attachment: 4 Ethological theory �Maybe I was born to love.� Imprinting Babyness features

14. Features of Attachment Emotions in Infancy Several key features come from Ethology (and the work of Bowlby) Secure base Stranger anxiety Separation anxiety

15. The Measurement of Attachment Strange Situation (Ainsworth) Eight phases Measuring secure base, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety Produces four attachment quality labels

16. Attachment Quality Labels from the Strange Situation Secure About 65% of 1-year-old North American infants Insecure avoidant 20% Insecure resistant 10% Disorganized 5%

17. Alternative Methods of Attachment Assessment Attachment Q-set (AQS) Based on observations of child at home Used with 1- to 5-year-olds Parent or observer sorts 90 cards E.g., �child seeks reassurance from caregiver when wary�greets with bit smiles� Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) (Mary Main) Asks about early relationships with parents classifies people as having secure, avoidant/dismissing, or resistant/preoccupied mental reps.

18. Cultural Variations Germany Japan Mothers anticipate infants� needs Amae Thought of as a state of dependence and mother love and indulgence Israel What do we make of this?

19. Cultural Variations What do we make of the variation? Reactions to the strange situation vary Probably reflects different underlying concepts of the self Responses may not reflect emotional insecurity in some cultures

20. OK, in white-middle-class people in the US, what influences attachment security? Quality of caregiving Emotional climate at home Health Temperament

21. Quality of caregiving Aspects that promote security Sensitivity Respond appropriately Positive attitude Positive affect and affection Synchrony Smooth, reciprocal interactions Mutuality Attending to the same thing Support Pay attention and give emotional support to infant�s goals Stimulation Direct actions to infant

22. Quality: who is at risk of becoming an insensitive caregiver? Primary caregiver is depressed Primary caregiver was abused, neglected, or felt unloved as a child. Unplanned pregnancy, baby unwanted.

23. Unplanned pregnancy, baby unwanted. Czechoslovakia: different abortion rules Mothers denied abortion Less closely attached to children than matched controls All children healthy at birth But �unwanted� children had: At age 9, more hospital visits, lower grades, less stable homes, poorer peer relations And by adulthood, less marital satisfaction, less job satisfaction, less satisfaction in friendships, sought more psychological treatment.

24. Ecological Issues Health care Spouse support Spousal relationship Positive marriage is critical for children at risk. At risk: irritable or unresponsive in infancy They develop nonsynchronous interactions when parents are unhappily married.

25. Of course, there is help. Interventions can help caregivers to be more sensitive. A professional visits and teaches parent how to be more positive with child.

26. What about characteristics of infants? Attachment is definitely a two-way street. Is it related to temperament?

27. Temperament and Attachment Quality

28. Fathers as attachment objects Fathers are involved as caregivers. Mothers do more talking, soothing, and holding of infants. And more care of physical needs. Fathers are preferred as playmates. But, things are changing. Fathers can become objects of affection and act as a secure base.

29. Effects of fathers Intellectual development If father is highly involved, infants score higher on intelligence tests. Father who is involved, even if divorced, has child who does better in school. Social and emotional development Children may be securely attached to one parent and insecurely attached to other.

30. Attachment to both parents: Main and Weston (1981) Children were in one of four conditions: Securely attached to both Insecurely attached to both Secure to mother, insecure to father Secure to father, insecure to mother Measured social responsiveness and emotional conflict Secure attachment to BOTH parents : most responsive and least conflict Insecure to both: least responsive and highest conflict Fathers act as a buffer