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Topic title: Attachment

Year group: Year 12

When taught: Term 3

What are we learning?

  • Caregiver-infant interactions in humans: reciprocity and interactional synchrony.
  • Stages of attachment identified by Schaffer.
  • Multiple attachments and the role of the father.
  • Animal studies of attachment:
    • Lorenz
    • Harlow
  • Explanations of attachment:
    • Learning theory.
    • Bowlby’s monotropic theory. The concepts of a critical period and an internal working model.
  • Ainsworth’s ‘Strange Situation’.
  • Types of attachment:
    • Secure
    • Insecure-avoidant.
    • Insecure resistant.
  • Cultural variations in attachment, including van Ijzendoorn.
  • Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation.
  • Romanian orphan studies: effects of institutionalisation.
  • The influence of early attachment on childhood and adult relationships, including the role of an internal working model.

Why is this important to know? 

  • This unit gives students and introduction to developmental psychology as a research area. This is a key topic in psychology study (e.g. at university) so it prepares students well for this.
  • It also offers some good introductions into culture and the idea of a cultural bias in research so is useful for giving students an awareness of how people around the world might be different to them.

Where does this link into our past and future learning? 

  • The idea of a cultural bias is developed further in the Issues and Debates topic studied at A Level in more detail.
  • It also includes plenty of research studies they can use to practise their new research methods knowledge from the first term.

How will we be assessed on this topic?

  • Students will sit a formal exam on this topic in the summer. This section makes up 24 marks and 30 minutes of Paper 1 at AS and A Level. They will be asked questions varying in size from multiple choice up to 12 mark essays at AS and 16 mark essays at A Level.
  • There will also be mid topic and end of topic tests on the unit when we study it.
  • Students will also have recap tests / questioning / exam questions on this topic during most lessons.

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?  

  • A detailed description of the content.
  • Sustained evaluation that is fully ‘PEEEL’ed.
  • Using specific research examples to support the points they are making.
  • Using correctly key terminology (see below and topic Glossary).

What key words are there in this topic?

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

  • Use the key study list to ensure you know the details of the studies in this topic: Quizlet
  • There is an extension challenge set for this unit. This consists of 4 interesting tasks such as videos to watch, podcasts to listen to, articles to read and online courses to complete with a feedback task at the end. Please see your subject teacher to access this sheet.

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

  • There are several Psychology Review Magazine articles relevant to this topic that you can read to extend your knowledge.
  • You could read some of the full text journal articles for the studies covered in this topic. E.g.
    • Frodi
    • Myron, Wilson and Smith
    • Ainsworth