How to Revise Attachment — AQA A-Level Psychology
Attachment theory investigates the ontogenetic development of emotional bonds between infants and primary caregivers, transitioning from early drive-reduction models to Bowlby’s ethological synthesis. It examines the mechanisms of proximity seeking, the secure base hypothesis, and the long-term implications of early attachment types on adult relationships via the internal working model. The field integrates cross-cultural meta-analyses to evaluate the universality of attachment classifications against socio-cultural variations in child-rearing practices.
Examiner Tips for Attachment
- Ensure you can distinguish between reciprocity and interactional synchrony.
- Be prepared to evaluate the methodology of the Strange Situation.
- Understand the difference between maternal deprivation and institutionalisation.
- Apply the concept of the internal working model to both childhood and adult relationships.
Key Marking Points
- Caregiver-infant interactions: reciprocity and interactional synchrony
- Schaffer's stages of attachment
- Multiple attachments and the role of the father
- Animal studies: Lorenz and Harlow
- Learning theory of attachment
- Bowlby’s monotropic theory (critical period, internal working model)