1 of 19 Carol K. Sigelman, Elizabeth A. Rider Life-Span Human Development, 4th Edition Chapter 14: Attachment and Social Relationships Chapter 14 Attachment.

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Carol K. Sigelman, Elizabeth A. RiderLife-Span Human Development, 4th Edition

Chapter 14: Attachment and Social Relationships

Chapter 14

Attachment and Social

Relationships

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Benefits of Social Relationships

• Learning

- Social skills/behavior

- Cognitive development (pretend play)

• Social support

- Buffers against stress

- Reduces all cause mortality/morbidity

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Attachment Theory (critical for relationships)

• Bowlby and Ainsworth

- Strong affectional tie

- To parent: 6 mo

- Proximity, preference, secure exploration

• Humans: Biologically predisposed

- Sensitive period & parent-child interaction key

- Internal working models -> later development

Secure = I am lovable, can trust others

Insecure = I am unlovable, others unreliable

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Childhood Peers

• Important for social development

- Perspective taking

- Negotiation skills

- Compromise and cooperation

• Chumships: Age 9-12

- Same sex peers

- Intimacy, trust, loyalty

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Specific Emotions in Infancy

• Biologically based

- At birth: Contentment, interest, distress

- 3 mo: Joy, surprise, disgust

- 4-5 mo: Anger, fear

- Cognitive development -> self-conscious emotions

- 18 mo: Embarrassment, empathy

- 2 yrs: Pride, shame, guilt

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Socialization of Emotions

• Modeling expressions

• Learning what is appropriate

- Reinforcement

- Imitation

• Emotion regulation

- At first dependent on caregivers

- Learn self-management

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Caregiver-Infant Relationships

• Early contact not crucial nor sufficient

• Reflexes endearing to parent,(e.g., smiling)

• Cooing and babbling

- Early conversations

• Synchronized routines

- Peek-A-Boo

- Sensitive responding

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Infant-Caregiver Relationships

• Undiscriminating social responsiveness

- At birth babies like all social stimuli

• Discriminating social responsiveness

- 2-3 months babies prefer familiar social stimuli

• Active proximity seeking

- 6-7 months babies seek attachment figure

• Goal directed partnership

- 3 years children understand parents goals/plans

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Attachment-Related Fears

• Separation anxiety: 6-8 mo

- Peaks at 14-18 mo

- Gradually wanes

• Stranger anxiety: 8-10 mo

- Declines during 2nd yr

• Secure base: Exploration

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Quality of Attachment

• Secure: active exploration, separation distress, happy being reunited

- Caregiver provides contact comfort

• Resistant: clings, high separation distress, seeks contact, resents being left

- Inconsistent care

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Quality of Attachment

• Avoidant: less constructive play, indifference

- Insensitive stimulation

- Rejection, impatient, resentful

- Intrusive

• Disorganized: no exploration, unpredictable separation response, confused at reunion

- Abusive

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Infant Characteristics

• Must acquire person permanence

• Temperament

- Secure less likely with fearful, difficult infant

• Reaction to parenting style

• Goodness of fit between infant T &

caregiving style

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Context of Attachment

• Culture

- German > avoidant

- Japanese > resistant

• Individualistic vs. Collectivist

• Attachment deprivation > grief

• Romanian orphans

- Insecure, anxious

- Difficulty coping with stress

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Day Care

• Maternal employment

• Secure attachments

- Sensitive mothering at home

- High quality care

• Child characteristics

- Gender, temperament, age

• Parent’s attitude and behavior important

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Later Outcomes

• Securely attached child

- Cognitively and socially competent

- Expect positive reactions

• Insecurely attached child

- Withdrawn, dependent, fearful

- Less competent

• Patterns last through adolescence

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Peer Relations

• 18 mo: First peers

- Turn-taking

- Reciprocal play

• Age 2-12: Increasing time spent

- Same sex

- Similar age and play preferences

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Play Development

• Age 2-5: Social play

• By age 1-2: Pretend play

• By age 5-6: Rule-based games

• By age 11-12: Rule flexibility

• Play beneficial

- Cognitive development

- Social skills

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Peer Acceptance

• Sociometric techniques

- Popular (acceptance critical for social skills)

- Attractive, intelligent

- Socially competent

- Rejected

- Highly aggressive

- Socially sensitive, submissive

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Adolescents

• Parents still important (NOT for social activities, tastes)

- Key for values, educational goals

- Close attachments w/ warm/authoritative parents more academically/socially competent

• Friendships

- More intimacy & conformity

- Friends similar psychologically

• Cliques and crowds

- Boy-girl friendships, dates develop via crowd socialization

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The Adult

• Social networks shrink

- Quality > quantity

- Closer to family

• Romantic attachments

• Adult Friendships valued

- Network size not important

- Key to have one confidant

1 of 19 Carol K. Sigelman, Elizabeth A. Rider Life-Span Human Development, 4th Edition Chapter 14: Attachment and Social Relationships Chapter 14 Attachment.

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