Psychology 3228 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Life History Theory, John Bowlby, Attachment Theory
Document Summary
Idea that when children are young, they are developing a working model of what the world is: forming a cognitive representation, formed early in life 6 months to 3 years, use to guide future behaviour. Insecure avoidant: show little attention to mother, little distress when she disappears, shorter relationships than securely attached people, approximately of children. Insecure resistant: remain overly close to mother, distressed when she leaves and not easily comforted after she returns, over commit to a few relationships, approximately 1/10 children. Attachment styles are often thought of as a continuum with secure in the middle. Proportions of types variable from culture to culture. Insecure attachment is predictive of mental illness and delinquent behaviour. Belsky: secure: parents investing more heavily in fewer offspring, child responds to stable, nurturing environment, longer term mating strategies are possible, adult attachment interview, higher levels of relationship security, longer relationships.