Psychology Key Terms

Key terms
Introduction to attachment
Reciprocity a description of how two people interact. Mother
infant interaction is reciprocal in that both infant and mother
respond to each other`s signals and each elicits a response
from the other.
Interactional synchrony Mother and infant reflect both the
actions and emotions of the other and do this in a co
ordinated (synchronised) way.
Schaffer`s stages of attachment
Stages of attachment many developmental theories identify a
sequence of qualitatively different behaviours linked to specific
ages. In stages of attachment some characteristic of the
infant`s behaviour towards other change as the infant gets
older.
Multiple attachments attachment to two or more people. Most
babies appear to develop multiple attachments once they have
formed one true attachment to a main carer.
Animal studies of attachment
Animal studies in psychology are studies carried out on non
human animal species rather than on humans, either for ethical
or practical reasons practical because animals breed faster
and researchers are interested in seeing results across more
than one generation of animals.
Explanations of attachment: Learning theory
Learning theory a set of theories from the behaviourist
approach to psychology, that emphasise the role of learning in
the acquisition of behaviour. Explanations for learning of
behaviour include classical and operant conditioning.
Explanations of attachment: Bowlbys theory
Monotropic a term sometimes used to describe Bowlby`s

theory. The mono means one and indicates that one particular
attachment is different from all others and of central
importance to the child`s development.
Internal working models The mental representations we carry
with us of our attachment to our primary caregiver. They are
important in affecting our future relationships because they
carry our perception of what relationships are like.
Critical period
This refers to the time within which an attachment must form if
it is to form at all. Lorenz and Harlow noted that attachment in
birds and monkeys had critical periods. Bowlby extended that
idea to humans, proposing that human infants have a sensitive
period after which it will be difficult to form an attachment.
Ainsworth`s Strange Situation
Strange situations A controlled observation designed to test
attachment security. Infants are assessed on their response to
playing in an unfamiliar room, being left alone, left with a
stranger and being reunited with a caregiver.
Secure attachment Generally thought of as the most desirable
attachment type, associated with psychologically healthy
outcomes. In the Strange situation this is shown by moderate
stranger and separation anxiety and ease of comfort at
reunion.
Insecure-avoidant attachment An attachment type
characterised by low anxiety but weak attachment. In the
stranger situation this is shown by low stranger and separation
anxiety and little response to reunion an avoidance of the
caregiver.
Insecure-resistant attachment An attachment type
characterised by strong attachment and high anxiety. In the
stranger situation this is shown by high levels of stranger and
separation anxiety and by resistance to be comforted at
reunion.
Cultural variations in attachment

Cultural variations Culture refers to the norms and values
that exist within any group of people. Cultural variations then
are the differences in norms and values that exist between
people in different groups. In attachment research we are
concerned with the differences in the proportion of children of
different attachment types.
Bowlby`s theory of maternal deprivation
Maternal deprivation The emotional and intellectual
consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother
or mother substitute. Bowlby proposed that continuous care
from a mother is essential for normal psychological
development, and that prolonged separation from this adult
causes serious damage to emotional and intellectual
development.
Romanian orphan studies
Institutionalisation A term for the effects of living in an
institutional setting. The terms institution refers to a place like
a hospital or an orphanage where children live for long,
continuous periods of time. In such places there is often very
little emotional care provided. In attachment research we are
interested in the effects of institutional care on children`s
attachment and subsequent development.
Orphan studies these concerned children placed in care
because because their parents cannot look after them. An
orphan is a child whose parents have either died or have
abandoned them completely.
Influence of early attachment on later relationships
Childhood relationships Affiliations with other people in
childhood, including friends and classmates, and with adults
such as teachers.
Adult relationships Those relationships the child goes on to

have later in life as an adult. These include friendships and
working relationships but most critically relationships with
romantic partners and the person`s own children.
Internal working models The mental representations we all
carry with us of our attachment to our primary caregiver. They
are important in affecting our future relationships because they
carry our perception of what relationships are like.

Psychology Key Terms

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Key terms

Monotropic a term sometimes used to describe Bowlby`s

Cultural variations in attachment

Adult relationships Those relationships the child goes on to

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