PSYCH 2AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Affectional Bond, Attachment Theory, Object Permanence
10 Jan 2017
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November 17, 2016
More Theoretical Background
- Debunking learning theory
o Harlow (1958)
▪ Is attachment about food or about contact comfort
▪ Given monkeys – one with no comfort but had food; other was all comfort, no
food
▪ Attached to comfort monkey
▪ Scary monkey was shown to the baby monkey
• When the baby monkey was scared, he ran to the comfort monkey
▪ Gie ire other: did’t proide uh ofort
▪ Ran to comfort mother to get a sense of comfort and security
o Applying Harlow to humans
▪ Unresponsive moms vs. responsive dads (Schaffer & Emerson, 1964)
• “oe os do the are iiu ad do’t respod to the
▪ If dad is doing diaper changing and interactive, primary attachment will be to
dad
Cognitive Development Approach
- Importance of being able to recognize difference between mom and others
- Importance of object permanence in attachment formation
- Importance of ability to form mental representations of mom in how attachment is expressed
- Kids attach themselves to whatever they have, but sometimes insecure attachment does’t
provide a sense of safety
Evolutionary Approach
- The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals is a basic component of
human nature, already present in germinal form??
- Attachment is adaptive
o If they a’t get their proider to are for the, they’ll die
o Attachment ensures the survival of our genes
- Biological preparedness
o Instinctual signaling by baby elicits parental care
▪ Crying, clinging, smiling – signals are aimed eventually are aimed at the primary
caregiver
o Sensitive parental responding leads to mutual bond
▪ Babies crying – you’re goig to try to figure out hy ad ake the stop
▪ If they’re silig, you’re goig to oo ad sile ak\
Modern Attachment Theory: Concepts
- Affectional bond
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
If dad is doing diaper changing and interactive, primary attachment will be to dad. Importance of being able to recognize difference between mom and others. Importance of ability to form mental representations of mom in how attachment is expressed. Kids attach themselves to whatever they have, but sometimes insecure attachment does(cid:374)"t provide a sense of safety. If they (cid:272)a(cid:374)"t get their pro(cid:448)ider to (cid:272)are for the(cid:373), they"ll die: attachment ensures the survival of our genes. If they"re s(cid:373)ili(cid:374)g, you"re goi(cid:374)g to (cid:272)oo a(cid:374)d s(cid:373)ile (cid:271)a(cid:272)k\ Affectional bond: relatively long enduring tie in which the partners are important as a unique individual and is interchangeable with none other. In affectional bond there is a desire to remain close to the partner. Attachment: sub-variety of an affectional bond, sense of security bound up by that person, safe base, can parent be attached to child, no.
