Psychology 2075 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Attachment In Adults, Mary Ainsworth, Attachment Theory

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2075
• Professor: William Fisher

Document Summary

The same motivational system that gives rise to the bond between parents and kids is responsible for the bond between adults in stable relationships. Adult attachment theory paper (assigned reading for attraction lec iii) Attachment figure someone who provides support, protection, care. Theory was developed to understand the distress experienced by infants when separated from parents. 12 month old infants and parents brought into lab. Child feels loved, cared for, secure, confident. Is likely to explore environment, play with others, be sociable. Bowlby argued that over infants who were able to maintain close proximity to attachment figure via attachment behaviours (crying, searching frantically, clinging) were more likely to live to reproductive age. Child experiences anxiety, vocal signaling (ie crying) or searching attachment behaviours. Strange situation a laboratory paradigm for studying infant parent attachment. About 60% of children behaved the way bowlby predicted (cid:498)normative(cid:499) theory wanted to be comforted, but also that they wanted to (cid:498)punish(cid:499) the parent for leaving.