Welcome to the World of Attachment!
Ever wondered why some people are "clingy" in relationships while others seem distant? Or why babies cry the second their caregiver leaves the room? In this chapter, we explore Attachment—the deep, emotional bond between two people. For AQA A-level Psychology, we look at how these bonds form, what happens when they go wrong, and how our first relationships act as a "blueprint" for the rest of our lives.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot to take in; we’ll break it down step-by-step. Let's dive in!
1. Animal Studies of Attachment
Psychologists started by looking at animals to see if attachment is something we are born with (nature) or something we learn (nurture).
Lorenz (1935): The Goose Guy
Lorenz studied imprinting—where bird species that are mobile from birth follow the first moving object they see.
The Experiment: He divided a clutch of goose eggs. Half hatched with the mother (control group), and half hatched in an incubator where the first moving thing they saw was Lorenz himself.
The Result: The incubator chicks followed Lorenz everywhere. Even when mixed back with the mother, they ran to Lorenz. This shows imprinting is an innate (inborn) drive.
Key Concept: The Critical Period. Lorenz found imprinting must happen within a few hours. If it doesn't, it might never happen at all.
Harlow (1958): The Monkey Study
Harlow wanted to see if monkeys attached to mothers for food or for comfort.
The Experiment: He raised infant monkeys with two "wire mothers." One was made of bare wire but provided food (a bottle). The other was covered in soft cloth but provided no food.
The Result: The monkeys spent almost all their time with the cloth mother, only going to the wire mother when they were hungry. When scared, they ran to the cloth mother for "contact comfort."
Key Takeaway: Attachment isn't just about being fed; physical comfort and security are much more important.
Quick Review: Lorenz = Imprinting/Critical Period. Harlow = Contact Comfort over Food.
2. Explanations of Attachment
Now we move to humans. Why do we attach? There are two main sides to this debate.
Learning Theory (The "Cupboard Love" Theory)
Behaviorists argue we learn to attach through our environment. They call it "cupboard love" because they think we love whoever feeds us.
1. Classical Conditioning: Food (Unconditioned Stimulus) makes a baby happy (Unconditioned Response). The mother (Neutral Stimulus) is always there when food is given. Eventually, the baby associates the mother with food, and the mother alone creates happiness (Conditioned Response).
2. Operant Conditioning: When a baby cries, it’s uncomfortable. If the caregiver feeds them, the crying stops. This is negative reinforcement for the baby (removing something bad) and positive reinforcement for the caregiver (peace and quiet!).
Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory
John Bowlby disagreed. He said attachment is evolutionary. We attach because it helps us survive (a baby who stays close to an adult is less likely to be eaten by a predator!).
Think of the mnemonic SNAP to remember Bowlby's main points:
S - Social Releasers: "Cute" behaviors like smiling or gripping that make adults want to care for the baby.
N - Monotropy: The idea that a child has a unique, special bond with one primary attachment figure (usually the mother).
A - Adaptive: Attachment gives us a survival advantage.
P - Critical Period: Bowlby said humans must attach before age 2. If not, it becomes much harder later.
The Internal Working Model (IWM): This is a vital concept! Bowlby said our first attachment creates a mental "blueprint" or template for all future relationships. If your first bond is loving, you’ll expect future love. If it’s shaky, you might struggle to trust others later.
3. Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’
Mary Ainsworth developed a controlled observation to measure the quality of attachment between a mother and child.
The Setup: A 12-to-18-month-old is put through 8 "episodes," including being left alone, a stranger entering, and the mother returning.
What they looked for: Proximity seeking, exploration behavior, stranger anxiety, separation anxiety, and response to reunion.
The Three Types of Attachment:
1. Secure (Type B): The "Ideal" type. They explore happily but check back with Mum. They are upset when she leaves but easily calmed when she returns. (About 60-75% of UK toddlers).
2. Insecure-Avoidant (Type A): These kids are "too independent." They don't seek proximity, don't care much when Mum leaves, and don't seek comfort when she returns. (About 20-25%).
3. Insecure-Resistant (Type C): These kids are "clingy." They are very distressed when Mum leaves but, strangely, they might kick or scream at her when she returns (they are angry she left!). (About 3%).
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't think "Insecure" means the child is "bad." It usually reflects the caregiver's responsiveness to the child's needs.
4. Cultural Variations in Attachment
Is attachment the same everywhere? Van Ijzendoorn and Kroonenberg (1988) looked at 32 studies across 8 different countries using a meta-analysis (combining results from many studies).
The Findings:
- Secure Attachment was the most common in all countries.
- Insecure-Avoidant was most common in individualist cultures like Germany (where independence is encouraged).
- Insecure-Resistant was most common in collectivist cultures like Japan and Israel (where babies are rarely left alone).
Key Takeaway: While the "Secure" bond is universal, culture definitely influences how "insecurity" shows up.
5. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation
Bowlby warned that if a child is separated from their mother during the critical period (first 30 months) without a substitute, they will suffer permanent damage.
Important Distinction: Separation is short-term (like a babysitter). Deprivation is long-term loss of care. Deprivation is what causes the damage.
The Effects of Deprivation:
- Intellectual: Abnormally low IQ.
- Emotional: "Affectionless Psychopathy"—the inability to feel guilt or empathy for others. (Remember his "44 Thieves" study where many young thieves had suffered early deprivation).
6. Institutionalisation (Romanian Orphan Studies)
What happens if a child never gets to attach at all? This is privation. Psychologists studied Romanian orphans who lived in terrible conditions with very little human contact.
Rutter et al. (2011): Followed 165 Romanian orphans adopted in Britain.
- If adopted before 6 months, they caught up to British children by age 4.
- If adopted after 6 months, they showed Disinhibited Attachment (being equally friendly/clingy to strangers and parents) and lower IQ scores.
Key Takeaway: The damage of institutionalisation can be recovered from, but only if the child is placed in a loving home early enough (before 6 months).
7. Influence of Early Attachment on Later Relationships
Remember the Internal Working Model? It’s the "blueprint" for life.
In Childhood: Securely attached children tend to have better friendships and are less likely to be involved in bullying. Insecure-avoidant children are often the victims of bullying, while insecure-resistant children are often the bullies.
In Adulthood: Hazan and Shaver (1987) used a "Love Quiz" in a newspaper. They found:
- Secure adults had long-lasting, trusting relationships.
- Avoidant adults were jealous and feared intimacy.
- Resistant adults were obsessed and worried their partner didn't love them.
Final Key Takeaway: Your first relationship doesn't guarantee how your future will look, but it certainly sets the stage! You can change your "blueprint," but it takes work.
Quick Review Box:
1. Lorenz/Harlow: Nature vs Nurture in animals.
2. Learning Theory: Attach because of food.
3. Bowlby: Attach because of survival/IWM.
4. Strange Situation: Secure, Avoidant, Resistant.
5. Institutionalisation: Romanian orphans show the need for early adoption.