CHild psychology

ATTACHMENT
is an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one – a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time

Background

JOHN Bowlby (1907)

• Bowlby's theory of attachment
• First few years of infant's life = IMPORTANT
• Studied Ethology
• Evolution theories- survival of the fittest
• Linked to infants being biologically programmed

SAFE HAVEN

SECURE BASE

BASIC TRUST

"Mother love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health"
Bowlby, 1953

HARLOW'S STUDY OF MONKEYS

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STRANGE SITUATION EXPERIMENT

Child placed in a situation that is strange for them

ORIGINAL PROCEDURE

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OVERVIEW: OUR variation

• Replicating Ainsworth's experiment  
• Instead of mother, favourite toy is brought
• Same observations will be made 
• Relationship between attachment and age

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS:
“Attachment between favourite toy and child changes as age increases”

NULL HYPOTHESIS:
“Any significant changes in attachment seen between a child and their favourite toy in relation to an increase in his/her age is purely due to chance”

DEpendent variable

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

• Level of attachment with a favourite toy
• Measured 3 times 
• Toy given
• Toy taken back
• Given another toy- not favourite toy 

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

• Laborartory experiment 
• Overt and open observation 
• Non participant observation
• Running record
• Recording while behaviour is occuring

INDEPENDENT variable

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: Controlled Variables

• The random toy given
• Toys in the room 

During the experiment

-One experimenter will give the child the random toy and the same experimenter will give the encouragement

-Both experimenters will be present when the behaviour is measured

PARTICIPANTS

PARTICIPANTS

• 3 participants
• Age range from 1-4 years old 
• Order is decided at random, by a draw
• Any ethnicity 

SAMPLING METHOD:
-OPPORTUNITY
-VOLUNTEER

APPARATUS/ MATERIALS

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• Favourite toy
• Random toy- standardised  
• Few another toys placed in room 
• Recorded via camera

PROCEDURE

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• Independent groups
• Classroom at Garden International School 
• All electrical sockets will be covered 
• Exposed wires will be tuck away neatly
• Any sharp objects (e.g: scissors) will be out of reach

1. Child and favourite toy enter room filled with other toys (toys similar to favourite toy and toys that are not)

2. The child is free to explore (encouragement given)

3. Favourite toy taken away (encouragement given) time recorded to react

4. Favourite toy given back

5. The child is free to explore (encouragement given)

6. Repeat- favourite toy taken away

7. Random toy given

ethical guidelines

BRITISH PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

INFORMED CONSENT

-whatever age/competence, consent must always be sought by appropriate means

-for children under 16 years of age, additional consent must also be sought

-very young children, assent should be regularly monitored by sensitive attention to any signs, verbal and non verbal that they are not wholly willing to continue with the data collection

Consent needs to be documented in a verbal recording, electronic or hard copy form

CONFIDENTIALITY

Data Protection Act (1998)
-Any information obtained from and about the participant during an investigation is confidential unless otherwise agreed in advance

-All information treated with confidentiality and if published, will not be identifiable as theirs

DECEPTION

-Expects all psychologists to seek to supply as full information as possible to those taking part in their research, recognising that if providing all of that information at the start of a person’s participation may not be possible for methodological
reasons.

-If the reaction of participants when deception is revealed later in their participation is likely to lead to discomfort, anger or objections from the participants then the deception is inappropriate

-If a proposed research study involves deception, it should be designed in such a way that it protects the dignity and autonomy of
the participants.

DEBRIEFING

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-When the research data gathering is completed, especially where any deception or withholding of information has taken place, it is important to provide an appropriate debriefing for participants.
In some circumstances, the verbal description of the nature of the investigation will not be sufficient to eliminate all possibility of harmful after-effects.
For example, following an experiment in which negative mood was induced, it would be ethical to induce a happy mood state before the participant leaves the experimental setting.

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COmpetence

DISTRESS/RISK

Transparency and accountability

RESULTS/STATISTICS

CHI SQUARED

• Independent groups 
• Nominal data

SET of predetermined behaviours

• Proximity and contact seeking behaviour
• How active? 
• Contact maintaining behaviour
• Resistant behaviour- Intensity? 
• Avoidant behaviour- how marked? 

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