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Understanding Parent-Infant Attachment Bonds: Formation and Study

Learn how attachment bonds between parents and infants form, including separation anxiety, Harry Harlow's research on physical contact, and the role of temperament in attachment styles identified by Mary Ainsworth. Explore the impact of neglect, abuse, and day care on children's attachments. Delve into the development of children's self-concept and self-esteem.

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Understanding Parent-Infant Attachment Bonds: Formation and Study

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  1. 48.1 – Describe how parent-infant attachment bonds form. Attachment: a strong bond between the primary caregiver(s) and the baby. • Separation Anxiety: the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age. • Demonstrated by a child’s “closeness-seeking” and distress upon separation • Develops within the first six months of life • Attachment through contact • Humans form a bond with those who care for them in infancy; based upon interaction with caregiver • Harry Harlow • Role of physical contact, or “contact comfort” in attachment

  2. 48.1 – Describe how parent-infant attachment bonds form.

  3. 48.1 – Describe how parent-infant attachment bonds form. • Attachment throughout familiarity • Occurs in many species of animals during a critical period • Konrad Lorenz • Imprinting • The tendency to follow the first moving object seen as the basis for attachment

  4. 48.1 – Describe how parent-infant attachment bonds form.

  5. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Temperament: a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity. • The behavioral and emotional characteristics that are fairly well-established at birth • Alexander Thomas & Stella Chess (1986) • “Easy” Babies • Regular, good-natured, easy to care for, adaptable • “Difficult” Babies • Irregular, moody & loud, react negatively to new situations • “Slow-to-Warm-Up” Babies • Quieter, slow to respond to new situations

  6. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Mary Ainsworth • The “Stranger Situation” • Identified 4 distinct styles of attachment • Secure • Avoidant • Ambivalent • Disorganized-Disoriented

  7. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Mary Ainsworth – Secure Attachment • Characteristics • Very willing to explore • Frequently “touched base” • Wary of strangers, but calm as long as the mother was nearby • When the mother left, the infant was noticeably upset; however, he or she was easily soothed upon her return • *** Generally corresponds to secure attachment in adulthood ***

  8. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Mary Ainsworth – Insecure Attachment • Characteristics • Only somewhat willing to explore • Did not “touch base” • Did not look at strangers • Reacted very little to mother’s absence or to her return • **Generally corresponds to dismissive attachment in adulthood

  9. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Mary Ainsworth – Ambivalent Attachment • Characteristics • Unwilling to explore; clingy • Very upset by strangers regardless of mother’s presence • Very upset by mother’s departure; not easily soothed • Mixed reaction to mother’s return • ***Generally corresponds to preoccupied attachment in adulthood ***

  10. 48.2 – Describe how psychologists study attachment differences, and discuss their findings about the effect of temperament and parenting Mary Ainsworth – Disorganized Attachment • Characteristics • Subsequent studies by Mary Main & Erik Hesse (1990) • Sometimes referred to asDisorganized-Disoriented Attachment • Generally fearful with dazed and depressed expression • Unable to decide how they should react to their mother’s return; little to no eye contact

  11. 48.3 – Discuss how childhood neglect, abuse, or family disruption affect children’s attachments. Deprivation of Attachment • Impact of denying monkeys physical comfort from their mother? • Cases of “Genie” and “Victor” • Daycare?

  12. 48.4 – Discuss the effect of day care on children. Day Care and Attachment (Does day care affect attachment”?) • High-quality day care programs do not appear to disrupt children’s attachments to their parents. Research shows that day care quality matters, and that family poverty often consigns children to lower-quality care. Children need a consistent, warm relationship with people whom they can learn to trust.

  13. 48.5 – Trace the onset and development of children’s self-concept. Self-Concept: all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who Am I?” • Self-esteem • Just as infants can achieve attachment, children must achieve a positive self concept; develops gradually in the first year • “Mirror Test” - By 18 months, children know THEY are the image in the mirror (self-awareness) • Children with a positive self-concept are more confident, assertive, optimistic and socialable…how is this achieved?

  14. 48.6 – Describe three parenting styles, and explain how children’s traits relate to them. Diana Baumrind’s - Parenting Styles • Authoritarian • Demanding; not responsive • Impose rules and expect obedience • Permissive • Not demanding, but responsive • Use little punishment • Authoritative • Demanding and responsive • Exert control by establishing/enforcing rules, but they also explain the reasons for the rules

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