PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
III. Attachment and Love
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 33
Aspects of Attachment in Animals
and Humans
Imprinting
– baby birds attach
to, follow first large
moving object seen
shortly after birth
– human infants don’t
imprint, but do pay
special attention to
human stimulation
Nobel-prize winning ethologist
Konrad Lorenz followed by
geese who imprinted on him
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 34
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Aspects of Attachment in Animals
and Humans
Bonding
– some goats need immediate physical
contact for mother to bond to offspring
– for humans, immediate contact helps
bonding, but parents also bond to infant
after separation
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 35
Aspects of Attachment in Animals
and Humans
Contact Comfort:
– Harry Harlow
• raised monkeys in isolation from birth
• two surrogate “mothers” placed in cage
– wire (sturdy, cool)
– cloth (soft, warm)
– one of which would give milk
• attached to terrycloth “mother” rather
than the one that gave milk
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 36
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
In Harlow’s studies, isolate monkeys formed
attachments to terrycloth surrogates who
provided contact comfort
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 37
Aspects of Attachment in Animals
and Humans
– warm, soft comfort of physical contact key
part of attachment for human, other
primate infants
– video clip : Harlow’s monkeys (2:54)
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 38
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Phases of Infant Attachment (Bowlby)
Phase 1 : birth to 2 mo
– infants attend to humans, respond equally
to all, no noticeable preferences
Phase 2 : 2 - 7 mo
– attach to one primary caregiver,
distinguish familiar from unfamiliar people
Phase 3 : 7 - 24 mo
– specific attachments develop, infant
maintains proximity to attachment figures
Phase 4 : 24 mo on:
– become aware of other’s feelings and
goals, begin to take these into account
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 39
Ainsworth – Measuring Infant
Attachment
Strange situation test:
– observe child meeting, separating from,
reuniting w/ caregiver and adult stranger
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 40
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Episodes of the Strange Situation Test
Events
Experimenter leaves parent and
1
baby to play
2 Parent sits while baby plays
3 Stranger enters, talks to parent
Parent leaves; stranger lets baby
4
play, offers comfort if needed
Parent returns, greets baby, offers
5
comfort if needed, stranger leaves
6 Parent leaves
7 Stranger enters, offers comfort
8
Behavior Observed
Use parent as secure base
Stranger anxiety
Separation
Separation anxiety
Reaction to reunion
Separation anxiety
Stranger anxiety; ability to
be soothed by stranger
Parent returns, greets
greets baby, offers
Reaction to reunion
comfort, lets baby return to play
Video clip: Ainsworth’s strange situation (3:14)
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 41
Ainsworth - Measuring Infant
Attachment
Infant attachment patterns:
– secure attachment:
• caregiver secure base for exploration;
protests separation; positive response
to caregiver reunion
– insecure avoidant:
• engages little with caregiver; not
distressed upon separation, does not
reestablish contact upon reunion
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 42
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Ainsworth - Measuring Infant
Attachment
– insecure resistant:
• often clingy, then oppositional; cries
loudly upon separation, but acts
resentful upon reunion
– insecure disorganized:
• seems dazed, confused, or fearful;
strong pattern of avoidance, resistance,
or extreme fear
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 43
Attachment in Adolescence
The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI):
– memories, self-report of attachments
Adolescent attachment patterns:
– secure-autonomous:
• close relationship w/ parents but shows
appropriate independence
– dismissing/avoidant:
• de-emphasize attachment; parents may
have been rejecting; adolescents may
be aggressive
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 44
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Attachment in Adolescence
– preoccupied/ambivalent:
• over-focused on attachment; parents
may not be reliably available; adolescent
may mix attachment-seeking with anger
– unresolved/disorganized:
• high fear, disorientation; may result
from traumatic experiences w/ parents
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 45
Adult Attachment Styles
Expectations, experiences in intimate and
romantic relationships
Secure attachment style:
– positive view of relationships
– find it easy to get close
– not overly concerned or stressed about
romantic relationships
– “I find it relatively easy to get close to
others and I am comfortable depending on
them and having them depend on me. I
don’t worry about being abandoned or
about someone getting close to me.”
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 46
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Adult Attachment Styles
Avoidant attachment style:
– hesitant about romantic relationships
– tend to distance themselves from partner
once in a relationship
– “I am somewhat uncomfortable being close
to others. I find it difficult to trust them
completely and to allow myself to depend
on them. I get nervous when anyone gets
too close to me and it bothers me when
someone tries to be more intimate with me
than I feel comfortable with”
PSY2510 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 47
Adult Attachment Styles
Anxious attachment style:
–
–
–
–
demand closeness
less trusting
more emotional, jealous, and possessive
“I find that others are reluctant to get as
close as I would like. I often worry that my
partner doesn’t really love me or won’t
want to stay with me. I want to get very
close to my partner, and this sometimes
scares people away.”
Lecture: Emotional Development (Ch 10) - slide # 48