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Attachment Through the Life Courses - Coggle Diagram
Attachment Through the Life Courses
Importance of Contact Comfort
Harry Harlow's research asked:
Why do infants bond with their mothers?
The monkeys preferred the cloth mother, even when the wire mother had food, the baby monkey spent more time with the cloth mother, showing that the monkey form attachment mainly through comfort, warmth, and emotional security, not just through food
Individual Differences in Infant Attachment
The Strange Situation Developed by Dr. Mary Ainsworth, used to asses children's attachment style
Kids and caregivers play in the lab
Caregiver leaves
Caregivers returns
Kids responses are coded for attachment style
Three Attachment Styles
Secure
- Most kids are distressed when their caregivers leaves, but are quickly comforted when they return
Avoidant
- About 20% kids do not not seem overly distressed upon separation and avoid the caregivers when they return
Anxious
- Resistant: About 20% kids become very distressed when their caregivers leave, but are not calmed by their presence when they return
Antecedents of Attachment Style
Responsive and Consistent Care Giving.
Secure Attachment
:Kids learn that their caregivers will help and support when needed!
Unresponsive to Child’s Needs;
Neglect.
Avoidant Attachment
: Kids learn that they cannot depend on their caregivers or others for help/ support
Inconsistently Responsive to Child’s Needs.
Anxious/Resistant Attachment
:Kids learn that caregivers will not reliably help them when they are in need
Reflection:What advice
would you give to
parents who wish
to ensure that
their children
form a secure
attachment?
Childhood Outcomes
Secure children likely to...
-Have better peer relationships
-Be better evaluated by teachers
-Persist on challenging tasks
Avoidant Children likely to...
-Have difficulty making and maintaining friendships
-Are more likely to be identified as buillies
Attachment in Adulthood
Three Styles of Attachments
Secure
: individuals with this adult attachment style find it easy to get close to others and readily become emotionally intimate with romantic partners
Anxious
:Individuals with this adult attachment style seek extremely intimate emotional bonds with romantic partners but tend to be worried that their partners will leave them
Avoidant
:Individuals with this attachment style tend to avoid forming close emotional bonds with romantic partners
Reflection Questions:What is
your attachment style? What
experiences lead you to this style?
Attachment and Dating
We have a tendency to be attracted to a partner of similar style
Impact of Attachment Styles on Relationships Functioning
Those with secure attachment styles tend to have
- More stable, satisfying, and high functioning relationships - Less conflict in relationships
Why might we see these positives?
-Individuals with secure attachment styles are more likely to provide support to partner in times of distress
Probabilistic Relationships
-Early childhood attachment is only
probabilistically related to adult
attachment
Even those who failed to form secure bonds
as children can develop a secure
romantic attachment styles as adults
Attachment style is shaped by
The joint influence of all of our close
relationships
Including parents, grandparents, friends,
teachers, and any other figures