PRE 305 1st Edition Lecture 8 Outline of Last Lecture I Infant cognitive development A How do we study infants B Data collection with infants C The newborn s brain D Brain development E Newborn reflexes F Infant learning G Infant cognition Outline of Current Lecture I Infant social development A Transition to parenthood B The parent child relationship C Attachment through the life course D Adult attachment styles Current Lecture Transition to parenthood Baby blues Hormonal factors sleep deprivation add to feeling sad anxious overwhelmed Postpartum depression sever feelings of anxiety sadness hopelessness etc Importance of support The parent child relationship Attachment Attachment theory 1 Attachment is adaptive 2 Importance of early experience first few years of life are especially important and contribute to characteristics later in life 3 Internal working models 4 Secure base feel more confident because you have the secure base of a parent to go to Harlow s monkeys comfort from the mother was more important to the baby monkey than being fed Measuring attachment The Strange Situation 1 Subjects the baby to mild stress to measure attachment 2 Examine child s use of the caregiver as a secure base 3 Behavior at reunions especially important Secure attachment 65 70 1 Internal working models o Confident of caregiver s emotional and physical availability trusts caregiver o Views self as competent and worthy of love 2 Behavior in Strange Situation o Uses caregiver as secure base o Actively seeks proximity and contact o If upset by separation easily comforted by caregiver upon return Avoidant attachment 20 25 1 Internal working models o Not confident of caregiver s emotional and physical availability does not trust caregiver or expect her to provide for needs 2 Behavior in Strange Situation o Explores environment o Does not appear distressed by separation o Avoids or ignore caregiver upon return Resistant attachment 10 1 Internal working models o Not confident of caregiver s emotion and physical availability does not trust caregiver to respond appropriately or consistently 2 Behavior in strange situation o Little exploration of environment wary clingy o Very upset upon separation o Hard to soothe upon return may mix contact seeking with contact resistance Disorganized attachment 5 1 Fear caregiver Seen more in abused children Parenting and attachment Attachment style as an adaptation to the environment Importance of sensitive parenting Attachment through the life course Attachment theorists argue that we carry our attachment style with us throughout life Parent as secure base for cognitive and emotional exploration Peer relationships children who are secure in their parent relationships develop more secure social relationships later on in life Romantic relationships Earned secure status had an insecure attachment early in life but overcame it and developed secure relationships later in life Parenting behavior Parents who were securely attached when they were young children are more likely to replicate the behavior that their parents had toward their own children Adult attachment styles Secure comfortable with deep emotional relationships Fearful avoidant uncomfortable with being close to others Worried or untrustworthy Dismissing avoidant I don t need others attitude Preoccupied I want to be close but others don t value me or want to be close to me