CHAPTER 14

ATTACHMENT AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Learning Objectives

• How do relationships with others contribute to development?

• How does Bowlby’s attachment theory explain attachment?

• In this model, how do nature and nurture contribute to the development of attachment?

Attachment

• Cases like “Baby Jessica”

– Children are resilient

– Negative early experiences rarely ruin them for life

• Close Relationships Provide:

– Learning experiences

– Social support (social convoy)

Attachment Theory

• Bowlby: A strong affectional tie that binds a person to an intimate companion

• Helps regulate distress by proximity seeking

– By about 6-7 months

• Ainsworth: Special, irreplaceable people

– Desire to maintain proximity

– Derive a sense of security

• Bowlby: Normal environment important

Video: Attachment

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Ethology

• Konrad Lorenz: Imprinting

– An innate form of learning in animals

– Critical period

– Irreversible

• Humans: Attachment

– Sensitive period

– Predisposed

• The combination of a depressed mother and a premature infant means low odds that a secure attachment will form.

Childhood Peers

• Important for social development

• Piaget: Equal power among peers

– Requires cooperation, negotiation skills

• Sullivan: Peers important after age 6

– Changing interpersonal needs

• Harris: Parental influence is overrated

– Peers more important for development

Learning Objectives

• In what ways are infants emotional beings?

• How are emotions socialized and regulated?

• How do infants become attached to a caregiver?

• What are some observable signs of infant attachment?

Emotions in Infancy

• Timing of emotions biologically programmed

– Tied to cognitive maturation

– Evolved to ensure that caregivers respond

• Social referencing by 10-12 months

– Monitor reactions in others to help define situation, regulate behavior and emotions

– Modeling, imitation, reinforcement

• Emotion Regulation: Learned throughout infancy and childhood

• The emergence of different emotions. Primary emotions emerge in the first six months of life, secondary or self-conscious emotions emerge starting about 18 months to 2 years of age.

Learning Objectives

• What types of attachment relationships can develop between infants and caregivers?

• What infant, caregiver, and contextual factors determine the quality of early attachments?

• How do early relationships relate to later development?

• What are the consequences of early social deprivation?

Caregiver’s Attachment to Infant

• Early contact not crucial nor sufficient

• Neonatal reflexes endearing: e.g., smiling

• Cooing and babbling: Early conversations

• Synchronized routines

– “Peek-A-Boo”

• Sensitive responding a must

• Over-stimulation/under-stimulation not good

Infant’s Attachment to Caregiver

• Social Responsiveness

– At birth: undiscriminating

– 2-6 mo: preferences develop

• Proximity Seeking

– 6 mo to 3 yr

– Attachment figures

– Mental representation abilities needed

Attachment-Related Fears

• Separation Anxiety: 6-8 mo

– Peaks around 14-18 mo

– Gradually wanes

• Stranger Anxiety: 8-10 mo

– Declines during 2nd year

• Ainsworth: Secure base for exploration

• The wire and cloth surrogate “mothers” used in Harlow’s research. This infant monkey has formed an attachment to the cloth mother that provides “contact comfort,” even though it must stretch to the wire mother in order to feed.

Quality of Attachment

• Caregiver provides “contact comfort”

• Ainsworth: Strange Situation Test

– Secure attachment: most

– Insecure attachment categories

• Inconsistent care = Resistant

• Insensitive stimulation = Avoidant

–Rejection, impatient, resentful

–Intrusive

• Abusive = Disorganized/Disoriented

Infant Characteristics

• Must acquire person permanence

• Temperament a factor

• Reaction to parenting style

– Goodness-of-fit between parenting style and infant temperament

Context of Attachment

• Culture

– Individualistic: encourage independence

• e.g., Western

• Avoidant

– Collectivist: encourage group conformity

• e.g., Japan

• Resistant

Effects of Social Deprivation

• Infants grieve when separated from caregiver

– Recover when reunited or upon forming new attachments

• A series of separations more harmful

• Romanian orphans

– Insecure, anxious

– Difficulty coping with stress

• Need sustained interaction with responsive caregivers – one or a few

Later Outcomes

• Securely Attached Child

– Cognitively and socially competent

– Expect positive reactions

• Insecurely Attached Child

– Withdrawn, dependent, fearful

– Less competent

• Patterns last through adolescence

Some Conclusions

• Attachment to fathers, grandparents, etc.

– Can compensate for poor attachment

• Secure attachments may change

– Stressful events: divorce, illness

• Insecure attachments may change

– Lifestyle improvements

Other Conclusions

• Capacity to form attachments is part of human evolutionary history

• Sensitive period: Nature & Nurture important

• Early relationships important for development– Affect quality of later relationships

• Mechanism: Internal working models of self and other

Learning Objectives

• What features characterize peer relations and friendships at different points of the life span?

• What different types of play evolve during the first few years of life?

• What are the developmental benefits of play?

• What factors contribute to peer acceptance and popularity, or to peer rejection, during childhood?

Peer Relations

• 18 mo: First Peers

– Turn taking

– Reciprocal play

• Age 2-12: Increasing Time Spent

– Same sex peers

– Similar age and play preferences

Play

• Age 1-2: Pretend play

• Age 2-5: Social play

• Age 5-6: Rule-based games

• By age 11-2: Rule flexibility

• Play is Beneficial

– Cognitive development

– Social skills

Peer Acceptance

• Results from sociometric techniques

– Most popular kids

• Attractive, intelligent

• Socially competent

– Rejected kids

• Highly aggressive

• Socially isolated, overly sensitive, submissive

Peers or Parents?

• Harris: The Nurture Assumption– Peers more important than parents– Parental influence overrated– Socialization by neighborhood peers– Individuality comes from genes

Learning Objectives

• How do relationships with peers and parents change during adolescence?

• How do peers and parents influence adolescents’ lives?

Adolescents

• Parents still important

• Boy-girl friendships and dates

– Dating: Dunphy’s phases

• Initiation, status, affection, bonding

• Friendships: More intimacy

– Friends similar psychologically

• Cliques and crowds

– Increased conformity

Learning Objectives

• How do social networks and friendships change during adulthood?

• How do these connections affect adult development?

• How do early attachment styles relate to romantic relationships?

• In the study by Simpson er al, (2007) relationship quality at each step in development affected relationship quality at the next step.

The Adult

• Social networks shrink

• Closer to family

• Romantic attachments remain

• Adult friendships valued

• Important to have at least one confidant