PSYC 333 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Behaviorism, Somatization, Electrodermal Activity
7 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture'21:'Attachment''
(March'27)'
'
'
Introduction:''
We'left'off'last'lecture'with'the'topic'of'stereotyping'and'prejudice,'and'the'question'of'
how'we'see'other'people.'For'the'remaining'6'lectures,'we'will'focus'on'how'we'interact'
with'other'people'and'how'it'impacts'our'relationship.''
We'will'look'at'the'self,'paying'attention'to'social'contacts.'''
How'does'the'self'exist'and'develop'in'the'context'of'relationship'with'other'people?''
We'will'begin'with'the'most'fundamental'relationship':'attachment.''
'
'
'
Plan:'
I.#Attachment#:#definition#and#childhood##
A.'Attachment'definition''
B.'Attachment'theory''
C.'“The'strange'situation”''
D.'Mental'models'of'attachment'''
E.'Individual'differences'in'mental'models'of'attachment''
'
II.#Adult#attachment##
A.'The'“Love'Survey”'(Hazan'and'Shaver,'1987)'
B.'Correlates'of'insecure'attachment'
C.'Attachment'model,'gender'and'relationship'stability'(Kirkpatrick'and'Davis,'1994)'
D.'Distress'and'coping'responses'(Mikulincer'et'al,'1993)'
E.'Anxiety'and'social'support'in'lab'(Simpson,'1992)'
F.'Physiological'response'to'stress'(Feeney'and'Kirkpatrick,'1996)'
G.'Brennan'et'al'(1998)'
F.'Suppression'of'unwanted'thoughts''
'
III.#A#brief#history#lesson##
A.'Harry'Harlow’s'experiments'on'Contact'Comfort'
B.'Another'paradigm'shift''
C.'Lessons'learned'–'Carol'Travis'
'
'
'
'
I.'Attachment':'definition'and'childhood''
A.'Attachment'definition''
Attachment:'“an$affectional$tie$that$one$person$or$animal$forms$between$him(her)self$and$
another$specific$one$–$a$tie$that$binds$them$together$in# space$and# endures# over# time.”$
(Mary'Ainsworth)'
'
It'is'more'than'a'connection'between'2'individuals.'It'has'2'key'characteristics:''
-desire#for#regular#contact'
-distress#upon#separation'
B.'Attachment'theory''
Attachment'theory'was'developed'by'John#Bowlby'(1944,'1951),'a'researcher'who'was'
working'in'London'on'maternal'separation'and'delinquency'of'orphans'after'the'war.'He'
theorized'that'the'separation# could# have# lasting# effect# on# kids,'and'that'there'were'
links#between#separation#and#delinquency.''
Attachment' theory:' The' separation' protest,' the' despair,' the' detachment' in' young'
children' reflects' the' operating' of' an' innate' attachment' system' designed' to' promote'
close'physical'contact'between'infant'and'caregiver.''
'
According'to'attachment'theory'there'are'3'features'of'attachment:'
'
-proximity#maintenance:'children'want'to'be'close'to'their'caregiver'(cry'and'are'sad'
when'they'are'far'from'him/her)'
-safe# haven:' caregivers' provide' a' safe' haven.' When' children' experience' threat' to' the'
environment'(loud'noise,'shadow'ect),'they'can'return'to'his/her'caregiver'to'feel'safe'
and'calm'down.''
-secure#base:#the'caregiver'give'the'children'a'sense'of'safety,'which'gives'the'children'
the'insurance'to'discover'new'environment.''
'
'
'
'
C.'The'“strange'situation”'
The' “strange' situation”:' it' was' use' as' a' paradigm# to# empirically# study# human'
attachment.'It'looks' at'how' kids'react' when'they' are'separated' and'reunited' to'their'
mother.' It' also' reveals' that' there' are# systematic# and# individual# differences# in# the#
mother#–#children#relationship.#
#
We'watched'a'short'video'in'which'a'mother'plays'with'her'1'year-old'child'in'a'room.'
Then'the'mother'has'to'go'off'the'room,'and'they'look'at'the'reaction'of'the'kid'when'
she'leaves'and'then'when'she'goes'back.''
'
'
'
'
'
'
D.'Mental'models'of'attachment''
The'video'describes'3'pattern'of'attachments,'one'secure'and'two'insecure:'
-“secure”:# infant'distressed' but' plays' and' seeks' comfort' upon' reunion.' The' kid' needs'
contact' with' her' mother' before' being' able' to' be' interesting' again' to' the' environment'
and'the'toys.'
-“anxious/ambivalent”:# infant' distressed' but' not' reassured,' preoccupied' with'
availability'of'caregiver.' Sometimes,'babies' cannot'calm'down'because' they'are' angry.'
These'babies'are'called'ambivalent'or'resistant:'they'want'their'mother'back'but'cannot'
use'their'contact'to'calm'down.''
-“avoidant”:' infant' does' not' display' signs' of' distress' upon' separation' (but' internal'
discomfort?)''
'
Mental' model' of' self' in' relation' to' (significant)' others:' over' the' course' of' repeated'
interactions' with' the' attachment' figure,' we' develop' different' mental' models' of'
attachment.'They'operate'like'schema:'they'are'general'mental'template'that'we'use'in'
our'social'experience'(like' stereotypes).'They'influence'our' perceptions'and'guide'our'
behaviour'and'expectations'in'future'relationship.''
'
'
'
'
'
'
E.'Individual'differences'in'mental'models'of'attachment''
Secure:'62%'
Avoidant:'23%'
Anxious'/'Ambivalent:'15%'
Most'children'have'a'secure'mental'model'of'attachment'(62%),'but'some'of'them'are'
avoidant'(23%)'or'anxious/ambivalent'(15%)'
'
“Whilst$ especially$ evident$ during$ early$ childhood,$ attachment$ behaviour$ is$ held$ to$
characterize$human$beings$from$the$cradle$to$the$grave.”'(Bowlby,'p.'129)'
'
'
'
'
'
Document Summary
We left off last lecture with the topic of stereotyping and prejudice, and the question of how we see other people. For the remaining 6 lectures, we will focus on how we interact with other people and how it impacts our relationship. We will look at the self, paying attention to social contacts. We will begin with the most fundamental relationship : attachment. Plan: attachment : definition and childhood, attachment definition, attachment theory, the strange situation , mental models of attachment, individual differences in mental models of attachment. A brief history lesson: harry harlow"s experiments on contact comfort, another paradigm shift, lessons learned carol travis, attachment : definition and childhood, attachment definition. Attachment: an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between him(her)self and another specific one a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time. (mary ainsworth) It is more than a connection between 2 individuals.
