PSYC 3100 Study Guide - Final Guide: John Bowlby, Attachment Theory, Disinhibition
30 Apr 2018
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Personality Psychology PSYC 3100 — Test 3 Study Guide
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Chp. 13 : Personality & Relationships
I. Attachment Theory —> reasons that a child’s attachment experiences will eventually
become internalized, or part of the child’s personality as the child develops
•John Bowlby :
-focused on nature of child-caregiver relationship as source of mental problems
•Childhood Attachment
-attachment : link between a child & his/her primary caregiver (secure base)
-children’s attachment experiences will eventually become internalized —> a working
model (aka relational schema, attachment style)
-emotionally warm & reliable caregiver —> child views stable & secure
relationships
-cold & unsupportive caregiver —> child views relationships negatively
•Harry Harlow’s Monkeys (1959)
-monkeys with cloth mothers were better adjusted to life
•Bowlby : Attachment Theory —> child develops attachment style that is best for his
particular environment
a) Secure attachment —> trusting, open style of attachment
-caregivers is a source of comfort & security
-best psychological outcomes
b) Anxious attachment —> an anxious, uncertain, & clingy style of attachment
-caregiver is unreliable, often is negligent & abuses substance
-difficult to comfort when sacred & develop anxiety about relationships
-includes a negative view of self
c) Avoidant attachment —> a removed, isolated style of attachment
-child avoids closeness & may be uncomfortable with emotional intimacy
-caregiver is consistently unavailable or abusive
-child learns to distrust the caregiver & relationships
-includes a negative view of others
•Mary Ainsworth : Strange Situation
Personality Psychology PSYC 3100 — Test 3 Study Guide
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-mother leaves and almost all the babies cry or look upset, but differ upon her return:
a. securely attached baby smiles & looks happy to see the parent
b. anxious baby keeps crying & is difficult to comfort
c. avoidant baby looks away from parent & refuses to acknowledge parent
•Attachment in Adult Relationships
-early attachment experiences with caregivers predict attachment later in life
—> childhood attachment styles can shape adult romantic relationships
-ex. when saying goodbye at airport : avoidant men were less likely to seek contact
from their partners and anxious men & women were more likely to be upset
-adult attachment styles & the big five traits
a. adults high in anxious attachment are:
•high N, low C
b. adults high in avoidant attachment are:
•low E, A, & C
-attachment style in long-term relationships
•being in a stable, positive relationship can increase attachment security & decrease
anxiousness
•The Dimensional Approach to Attachment
-measures how people score on two dimensions :
a. anxiety —> nervousness about relationships along with a negative view of oneself
b. avoidance —> lack of desire for emotional connection to relationships partners & a
negative view of others
-a combination of these two dimensions leads to four possible types of attachment
-secure attachment —> same as secure attachment style; (low anxiety/+self view
+ low avoidance/+view of others)
-preoccupied attachment —> anxious attachment style; (high anxiety/- view of
self +
Personality Psychology PSYC 3100 — Test 3 Study Guide
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-dismissing & fearful attachment —> subtypes of original avoidant attachment
style (both are uncertain of relationships but for different reasons : fearful are
afraid of getting hurt & dismissing don't care about relationships)
II. Relationship Outcomes of the Big Five Traits
•extraversion —> more shallow, less involved (yet satisfying) relationships
•agreeableness —> more positive, close, satisfying relationships
•neuroticism —> more troubled, unstable relationships
•conscientiousness —> less relational conflict
•openness to experience —> self expansion (incorporating partner in self-identity to
expand self; passion is rate of change of expansions)
III.Do Opposites Really Attract
•relationships among people with similar beliefs & views last longer — but bc of similar
attitudes, not necessarily personality
•people with similar personalities don't tend to form strong relationships
IV. Three Positive Forces in Relationships
1. Empathy —> ability to understand/feel the experiences that another person is having
•includes perspective-taking : ability to see the world from another’s point of view
•forgiveness
2. Compassion —> witnessing someone suffering and wanting to remove that suffering
Document Summary
13 : personality & relationships: attachment theory > reasons that a child"s attachment experiences will eventually become internalized, or part of the child"s personality as the child develops, john bowlby : Focused on nature of child-caregiver relationship as source of mental problems: childhood attachment. Attachment : link between a child & his/her primary caregiver (secure base) Children"s attachment experiences will eventually become internalized > a working model (aka relational schema, attachment style) Emotionally warm & reliable caregiver > child views stable & secure relationships. Cold & unsupportive caregiver > child views relationships negatively: harry harlow"s monkeys (1959) Monkeys with cloth mothers were better adjusted to life: bowlby : attachment theory > child develops attachment style that is best for his particular environment, secure attachment > trusting, open style of attachment. Caregivers is a source of comfort & security. Best psychological outcomes: anxious attachment > an anxious, uncertain, & clingy style of attachment.
