Children's Psychology Questions - Assignment Example

?Children’s’ Psychology Question What is meant by the term 'attachment' in psychology? The term “attachment” in psychology refers to the time a child starts showing the tendency to prefer a particular person. A child displays an attachment behavior and maintains his/ her proximity to this particular person. Attachment is when “The emotional bond that typically forms between the infant and caregiver, usually a parent, not only stimulates brain growth but affects personality development and lifelong ability to form stable relationships” (Brean 2009, p. 16). From the child’s birth up to three months of age, the child is predisposed to be attached to anyone. After the fourth month, the child has preference for a certain people and learns to distinguish between the main caregiver and the secondary caregiver. However at this stage, the child accepts care from any human being. When the infant reaches seven months, it starts showing special preference for a single person. The infant begins to look for a particular person for security. It begins to demonstrate fear of strangers as well as insecurities when separated of the care giver. After nine months, the baby becomes increasingly independent from the care giver and forms several attachments. The fundamental theme of attachment theory is that mothers who are committed and responsive to their child’s needs set up a sense of security in their child. The infant can identify the care giver and knows that the care giver is not only dependable but also a blanket of security. “Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space” (Bergin 2012, p. 212). 2. What harm is caused to an individual if he or she is deprived of an attachment bond in early childhood, according to Bowlby? The Attachment Theory was popularized by Bowlby in the late 1950’s. This theory is a response to what Bowlby claimed as questionable childhood development as well as the lack of scientific research on child care at that time. Attachment relationship is natural in any living being be it humans or animals. Attachment to a protective and dependable caregiver who gives support and love is the basic human need. This need for attachment is rooted in millions of years of human evolution. “Attachment is a physiological, emotional, cognitive and social phenomenon. Instinctual attachment behaviors in the baby are activated by cues or signals from the caregiver (social releasers)” (Attachment Explained 2004).                 According to Bowlby, a child usually forms only one primary central figure which it is attached. The attachment figure acts as a security, protector, and a strong source of support for the infant to explore things around it. This relationship is crucial, and it acts as a prototype for all the future social skills or relationship for the infant. Therefore, the disruption of this attachment relationship can have devastating consequences on the child. The theory of Bowlby also concludes that the critical period for developing attachments by a child which is usually from the time it is born till it reaches five years. According to Bowlby, if attachment is not developed during this initial stage, the child will suffer from permanent developmental consequences such as repressed intelligence and increased hostilities. Bowlby also believed that if attachment relationship is not formed for more than 12 months, it is highly possible that a proper attachment will not be formed.   Question 3- What factors appear to be necessary to bring about attachment? The most important characteristic of humanity is the ability to form and maintain relationship and the awareness of it as well. These relationships are essential for humans to survive and to thrive in their life. There are various factors necessary for attachment relationship. Object permanence is a developmental term used to refer to the child’s ability to remember that objects still exist even after they are out of sight. Infants who are over eight months over have the ability to recognize this fact. Infants are able to develop a positive experience with the help of a caregiver. Repeated positive experiences help them to develop a safe attachment to the care giver. On the other hand infants who experience negative experiences with the care giver are likely to develop an insecure attachment. Children can develop insecure attachment when their care givers are not reliable or when they are unpredictable. Researchers have concluded that sensitive experiences during the early stages of life can lead to security in the child, but on the other hand, insensitivity leads to insecurity. Attachment is universal, but the practice is different. “Parents' attachment beliefs, values, and practices differ around the world. Although the attachment relationship is universal, parents' attachment beliefs, values, and practices differ around the world” (Attachment across Cultures n.d.). The role of a mother and father are equally important in attachment. Infants also form attachment with their father and they respond to the father’s care just as they respond to the mother. The role of the father is that of the protector and when the father spends more time with the infant, they also have the capacity to understand mutually. Question 4 -Describe and evaluate the evidence which has found that children can develop normally despite maternal separation. Children can still develop normally, despite maternal separation. In a research conducted by James and Joyce Robertson, they fostered four children and observe their behavior. Four of the children who settled in their home environment and they were quite well. However, the fifth child, placed in a residential nursery started crying for attention most of the time. Soon after wards, he developed an attachment with a teddy bear. Since, the child did not get the attention he needed; he developed an attachment with the teddy bear. “Anxiety and stress for the infant increases with age during the first year of life. Between 9 and 12 months of age, infants become more aware that they are separate individuals from their mothers. This can lead to separation anxiety in varying degrees” (Maternal Separation 2011). However, if a mother returns to her child consistently, it can further the bonding relationship. “Consistent return of mother after separation enhances the attachment relationship and contributes to further growth” (Maternal Separation 2011). Even though the mother is an important figure in a child’s life, a child can still have a normal upbringing if it is surrounded by a responsive father and family members.   Question 5 - Why do some people argue that animals should not be used  in psychology experiments? Animal research has played a pivotal role in psychology. When human cannot be subjected to various researches, animals are used in their place. Animals role are sometime un replaceable when it comes to independent variable used by the researchers. Today, the use clinical value and ethical propriety have been questioned by many people. Many psychologists are now questioning the effectiveness of doing a research on animals. Bowd and Shapiro (1993) argued that “interests and rights are not the sole preserve of the human species, and should be evaluated consistently and with due consideration to animal’s capacity to suffer. Our ethical obligations extend to individuals who are intellectually unable to reciprocate them, within and beyond our own species. Those who would accord rights to human beings but deny them to all other species must make the case that there is a morally relevant difference separating Homo sapiens from other creatures” (Bowd & Shapiro 1993). Many people are also of the opinion that animals should not be used for psychological research as their brain is not conditioned like human beings. Question 6 - Describe and evaluate one study of visual perception in human infants. Ever since the work of Robert Fantz in the 1960 on the visual perception of infants, an increased interest in this field has been seen. In his work, he concentrates on the first six months of life. In his experiment he placed an infant baby in a looking chamber. It had two visual displays above the infant’s head and above the ceiling. Then, they viewed the infant’s eyes to see the reflection in the eyes. This enables them to determine how long the baby viewed each of the display on the ceiling. Fantz hypothesis was that if the infant preferred looking at one object over another, then this concluded that they could perceive form. “Fantz found that infants only 2 days old look longer at patterned stimuli, such as faces and concentric circles, than at red, white, or yellow discs.  Infants 2 to 3 weeks old preferred to look at patterns (a face, a piece of printed matter, or a bull's-eye) longer than at red, yellow, or white discs” (Santrock 2002, p. 197). He also found out that the infants preferred to look at a normal human face rather than one with scrambled features.   Reference List Attachment Explained. 2004. Attachment Treatment and Training Institute. [Online] Available at < http://www.attachmentexperts.com/whatisattachment.html> [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Bergin, CC & Bergin, DA 2012. Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom. Cengage Learning, Inc. Available at [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Bowd, AD & Shapiro, KJ 1993. The Case Against Laboratory Animal Research in Psychology. Journal of Social Issues. Vol. 49. Available at [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Brean, GV 2009. The Beginning of Life – A Time of Opportunity. Consultant Psychologist. Available at [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Attachment Across Cultures. n.d. About the Project. Available at < http://www.attachmentacrosscultures.org/eindex.html> [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Maternal Separation. 2011. Women’s Health Encyclopedia. Available at [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Santrock, JW 2002. A Topical Approach to Life – Span Development. 3rd Edn. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Available at [Accessed on 02 March 2012]. Read More