Social Development

• Nature and Nurture– Where does the division begin?

• Attachment Theory– Cupboard Theory (Freud)– The need for comfort (Bowlby & Harlow)– The Strange Situation and beyond (Ainsworth

& Main)

Social Development

• Nature-Nurture– We are a complex and unique combination of

our genes and environment– Reaction range

• Limits of the genotype• Environment determines where in the range the

gene is expressed

Social Development

• Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

– Cupboard Theory• Children innately attracted

to their mother for food• Attachment purely for

physical needs

Attachment Theory

• John Bowlby (1907-1990)

– Internal Working Model– Innate fear of the

unfamiliar– Built-in approach and

sign behaviours

Attachment Theory

• John Bowlby (1907-1990)– Innate fear of the

unfamiliar– Built-in approach and

sign behaviours– Internal Working Model

• Harry Harlow (1905-1981)– Comfort vs. Nurture– Terry-Cloth vs. Wire-Milk

Mother

Attachment Theory

• Harry Harlow (1905-1981)

– Comfort vs. Nurture– Terry-Cloth vs. Wire-Milk

Mother– Isolated monkeys spent

more time with cloth (comfort) mother than wire (nurture) mother

250-259 260-269 270-279 280-289 290-299

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Days of Age

Mea

n tim

e in

Hou

rsTime Spent on Mothers

Cloth Mother

Wire Mother

Attachment Theory

• Mary Ainsworth (1913-1999)– Child’s attachment with Mother– The Strange Situation

(Gleitman,510-512)• Children should use mother as

secure base for exploration• Children should exhibit

separation anxiety• Children should be less

comfortable with a stranger than their mother

The Strange Situation

1. Parent and Infant enter experimental room

2. Parent and infant are alone. Infant explores.

3. Stranger enters, talks to mother and then approaches infant.

4. First Separation: Mother leaves room

5. First Reunion: Mother returns and stranger leaves

6. Second Separation: Mother leaves room again and stranger returns

7. Second Reunion: Mother returns, picks up infant; stranger leaves.

Patterns of AttachmentSecurely attached

(65%)

Children show distress when parent leaves room; seek comfort and contact upon reunion; then return to play

Insecurely attached-avoidant

(20%)

Children seem aloof and may actively avoid parent upon return

Insecurely attached-ambivalent

(10%)

Children become upset when parent leaves; at reunion they cannot be comforted and show anger to parent but, at the same time, express desire for contact

Insecurely attached-disorganized

(5%)

Children act confused upon reunion. After parent’s return, they may stop moving or show contradictory behaviour patterns

Attachment and Adulthood

• Mary Main– Collected four generations of data examining

the long-term effects of attachment style– The internal working model of relationships

Attachment and AdulthoodAttachment

Style

View of themselves as adults

View of relationships

Experience in romantic relationships

Secure Believe they are likeable by others

Characterize love by trust

Tend to be more caring

Avoidant Describe selves as independent

Believe they don’t need a “partner”

Fear of intimacy

Ambivalent Have many self-doubts

View love as painful struggle

Difficulty staying in love

Disorganized !?!? ?!?! !?!?

Attachment and Adulthood

• Resilience and Nature-Nurture revisited– Patterns can change; they are not set in stone– Our environment is constantly changing

influence on the way we define ourselves, others and social relationships

– Crisis and change

Attachment and Adulthood

• How to create a secure attachment– Be emotionally available and responsive to

the other’s needs in a predictable manner– Intimacy, passion and support– Conflict resolution strategies, self-disclosure

and trust

Social Development

• Nature and Nurture– Where does the division begin?

• Attachment Theory– Cupboard Theory (Freud)– The need for comfort (Bowlby & Harlow)– The Strange Situation and beyond (Ainsworth

& Main)

Happy Valentine’s Day&

Have a great “READING” Week