Attachment
Subject Knowledge
Attachment
Explanations of attachment, explaining the different types of attachment: secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment and insecure-resistant attachment.
Use of "Strange Situation" in attachment research and also cultural variations.
The effects of the disruption of attachment and failure to form connections, privation and institutional care.
Attachment in everyday life
The impact of different forms of day care on a child's social development, including the effects on aggression and peer relations.
How research into attachment and child care has influenced child care practices.
Attachment
Explanations of attachment, explaining the different types of attachment: secure attachment, insecure-avoidant attachment and insecure-resistant attachment.
Use of "Strange Situation" in attachment research and also cultural variations.
The effects of the disruption of attachment and failure to form connections, privation and institutional care.
Attachment in everyday life
The impact of different forms of day care on a child's social development, including the effects on aggression and peer relations.
How research into attachment and child care has influenced child care practices.
Key Terms
Positive reinforcement- something which increases the likelihood that the behaviour before it will be repeated(see link below of media example). Negative reinforcement- when a behaviour or response switches off something unpleasant. Unconditioned stimulus- an aspect of the environment which produces an automatic, unlearned response. Unconditioned response- an unlearned, reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus. Monotropy- the tendency of babies to form a primary attachment to one caregiver. Internal working model- a template for future relationships, including a model of how you and other people are likely to behave. Meta analysis- a procedure in which researchers draw together and analyse the results of many different studies that have used a similar procedure, this uses only quantitative data. Individualistic cultures- those where personal independence and achievements are valued. Collectivist cultures- those where there is a high degree of interdependence between people. Separation- takes place when the child spends some time away from their primary attachment figure. Separation anxiety-a longer-term effect of separation in which the child alternates between clinginess and detachment. Privation- literally the lack of something. Emotional privation is the lack of attachment or love in a child who has been unable to form an attachment. Physical privation refers to the lack of basic physical needs such as food or shelter. Institutionalisation- refers to the behaviour patterns of children who have been raised in institutions such as orphanages or children's homes. Disinhibited attachment- a behaviour pattern shown by some children who have been raised in institutions. Day care- refers to care for children under school age, generally at a nursery or by a child minder. Longitudinal- a study that follows the same group across a long period of time( as seen with Zimmerman, 2000). Prospective- refers to the future. Quasi- experiment- an experiment that takes place in a field setting but the independent variable is already set. Rutter identifies consequences of privation and likely causes. Intellectual retardation, Affectionless Psychopathy, Anti-Social behaviour/delinquency, Enuresis and Developmental dwarfism. |
Research
Ainsworth et al (1978), came up with the concept of "The Strange Situation". Schaffer and Emerson(1964) study in Glasgow over an 18 month period monitoring 60 babies and their reactions to strangers approaching them. Harlow (1959) showed the need for 'contact comfort', monkey experiment in the laboratory found that the monkeys clung to the cloth mother seeking comfort. Konrad Lorenz (1935) found that geese automatically attached to the first moving thing that they see upon hatching and follow it around, this is called imprinting( see link below of media example). Bowlby (1951) argued that something like imprinting happens with humans too, he developed the idea of 'monotropy' this is when there is one special attachment. He also put forward the idea of the 'internal working model', arguing that this began in early childhood and influenced the relationships had in later adult life.Shaver (1987) set out to address the question 'is love in adulthood directly related to the attachment type as a child?' Black and Shutte (2006) tested the continuity hypothesis using 205 young adults, asking them to complete three measures to assess childhood attachment types. Zimmerman(2000) longitudinal study, assessed attachment type between 12-18 months and then revisited at 16 years using interviews to determine if attachment types in infancy determined relationships into adulthood. Cultural Variations Van Ljzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) Cross cultural studies. Grossman (1985) developed on the strange situation theory in Germany. Disruption of attachment Separation can have major effects, the PDD model developed the stages being referred to are: Protest, Despair and Detachment. Robertson and Robertson (1968) evidence supporting the PDD model. Bowlby (1944) the juvenile thieves, looking at the background of 44 thieves, who had been referred to his clinic because they'd been stealing. Skeels and Dye (1939) found that the effects of depravation can be reversed, if dealt with quickly and with one to one care. Privation Curtiss (1977) the case of Genie, suffered extreme cruelty from her parents and never formed attachments. Koluchova (1976) The case of the Czech twin boys, cruelty at the hands of the stepmother when found they had little social or intellectual development. Adopted and made huge progress and by adulthood they had above average intelligence and normal social relationships. Hodges and Tizard (1989) studied children raised in institutions and the effects of it. Parker and Forrest (1993) highlighted this rare condition which occurs in children who have been permanently damaged by early experiences of privation, Reactive Attachment Disorder. Quinton et al (1985) study suggested a cycle of depravation. Effects of Day Care on Child Development Clarke-Stewart et al (1994) studied the positive effects of day care. Campbell,Lamb and Hwang (2000) studied a group of children in Sweden who attended childcare continuously from the age of 18 months to 3.5 years. |
Ideas for the classroom and activities
Think of some of examples of how attachments can form and also some examples of why attachments may fail to happen.
Divide the class into groups and get them to prepare to argue in favour of day care and have a group opposed to it, get the groups to use the content covered in class and any additional reading they have done to support their discussion.
Have the class work in groups on four different essay questions in the same topic area, get them to plan out their essays in whatever way the group decide together and then present back to the classroom.
Quiz Time!!! I would introduce a quiz at the beginning of each lesson recapping on the learning from the lesson.
I would use the practise exam questions available through AQA and other revision guides to help students prepare for exams by doing both timed essays within the classroom, focusing on making structured essay plans to aid their revision and set these questions as homework tasks too.
Take a theory Bowlby as starter and break it down with the students, ensure that they are comfortable with the language being used as this could create a massive stumbling block for them if they can't engage or understand the language being used.I would take key words out of the proposal and put them up on the board and with the class work through them and identify any gaps in their understanding. I think its important that the students aren't overwhelmed by the language used in some research as this would just make it inaccessible. Doing tasks such as this in the classroom should help to overcome that.
Think of some of examples of how attachments can form and also some examples of why attachments may fail to happen.
Divide the class into groups and get them to prepare to argue in favour of day care and have a group opposed to it, get the groups to use the content covered in class and any additional reading they have done to support their discussion.
Have the class work in groups on four different essay questions in the same topic area, get them to plan out their essays in whatever way the group decide together and then present back to the classroom.
Quiz Time!!! I would introduce a quiz at the beginning of each lesson recapping on the learning from the lesson.
I would use the practise exam questions available through AQA and other revision guides to help students prepare for exams by doing both timed essays within the classroom, focusing on making structured essay plans to aid their revision and set these questions as homework tasks too.
Take a theory Bowlby as starter and break it down with the students, ensure that they are comfortable with the language being used as this could create a massive stumbling block for them if they can't engage or understand the language being used.I would take key words out of the proposal and put them up on the board and with the class work through them and identify any gaps in their understanding. I think its important that the students aren't overwhelmed by the language used in some research as this would just make it inaccessible. Doing tasks such as this in the classroom should help to overcome that.