Transcript Evolution and Emotions

Attachment and
Temperament
Class 8
The Emotional Meaning of Separation
Anger and Separation: John Bowlby
Separated kids are more aggressive
Doll play-acting:
1907-1990
Separated kids show 4 X more angry behavior
Sep. kids more likely to attack "parent dolls"
Upon return home, aggressive play ends
Functions of Anger
Parental
Anger and Anxiety aroused in kids by same event: Separation
Kids have implicit belief--when afraid, parent should be there.
Anger after separation is adaptive. Why?
Overcome obstacles to ruinion
Discourages loved one from being away at critical times.
Anger can promote bonds
* Parental anger at kid's dangerous action
* Alpha Baboon and wandering troupe members
Dysunctions of Anger
When CAN anger be dysfunctional?
Weakens rather than reinforces bonds
When purpose shifts from bonding to revenge
When DOES anger be dysfunctional?
Repeated abandonment
Strange Situation, Mary Ainsworth
1. Mom and baby go into a room, baby plays and
mom just sits there.
2. Stranger comes in and shares room with mom
and baby.
3. Mom leaves, baby left with stranger
4. Mom returns, reunites with baby
How does baby respond to mom’s return?
Attachment Styles Identified Through
Strange Situation
1. Securely Attached (65%): Upset when mom leaves, OK
when mom returns.
2. Ambivalently Attached (15%): Wants reunion with mom,
but also shows anger and resentment.
3. Avoidant (20%): Makes no attempt to reconnect with mom
Parental Behaviors Related to
Attachment Style
1. Responsivity: Quick and consistent
2. General Maternal Sensitivity: interpret signals, respect
autonomy, accepting manner, accessible, being tender.
3. Synchronization: Keeping in tune and in time with
baby’s emotions and interests.
Attachment Styles and Emotional
Range
Secures: Show full emotional range: Mom’s
acknowledge all emotions
Ambivalents: Favor negative emotions: Mom’s
selectively responsive to negative emotions.
Avoidants: Show little emotions of any kind: Learned
that own emotions won’t get maternal response. But
they are physiologically aroused.
Internal Working Models
Early attachment experiences shape expectancies that
shape adult personality.
1. Secures: Believe others can be trusted, form secure
bonds
2. Avoidants: Believe others won’t be there for them.
Less able to form secure bonds in adulthood.
Relation Between Attachment as
Infant and Attachment as Adult
Strange Situation Result as Infant
Secure
29
Ambivalent
9
Avoidant
12
Attachment as Adult
Secure
20
3
2
Preoccupied (Ambiv.)
3
4
2
Dismissing (Avoid.)
6
2
8
Insecure Attachment Styles and
Emotional Illness in Adulthood
Poor emotion management skills: Insecures overwhelmed by
negative emotions. Parent didn’t respond to negative
reactions—so small things became big things Didn’t teach kid
how to translate feelings into thoughts and actions.
General Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Emotion management
problems of Insecures contribute to GAD. GAD is excessive
worry about everyday kinds of problems.
Panic attacks – molehills  mountains  avalanches
Social Phobia – fear of being with others.
Agoraphobia – fear of being in open places
Attachment and Emotional
Management Skills
Emotion Management
a. Being able to identify own emotions
b. Being able to relate emotions to causes
c. “calibrate” emotions to situation
d. Regulate emotions.
Parents’ Role in Emotion Management
a. Parent steps in when emotions arise, calms situation.
b. Parental responsiveness stops minor emotions from
going out of control.
c. Kid learns not to fear own emotions. FDR “we have
nothing to fear but fear itself”.
d. Kid learns to control own emotions. Like learning to ride
bike, and getting confidence in braking. No confidence,
then even small downhill (neg. emotion) becomes
terrifying.
Change in Responsiveness to
Vocalizing vs. Crying
60
50
40
Respond to vocal.
Respond to crying
30
20
10
0
2-7 Months
8-16 Months 17-27 Months
Responsivity and Social Competence:
Which Model is Right?
Model A
Model B
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
6
COMPETENCE
COMPETENCE
X
5
4
3
2
1
0
w ow ed. igh igh
o
l l m h h
y
r
ry
e
e
v
v
Responsivity
. h h
w
d
w
lo lo me hig hig
ry
ry
e
e
v
v
Responsivity
Teaching Kids How to Think About
Emotions
Meta-cognition: How to think about thinking, or how to think
about feeling.
Kids taught to think about feeling, and in managing feelings:
a. Less stressed
b. Less negative emotions in play with others
c. Better school achievement
d. Fewer behavior problems.
Anything Strange about Strange
Situation?
Mom leaves kid.
Kid acts unconcerned
Mom returns to kid.
Kid still unconcerned
Attachment explanation?
Insecure/avoidant: mom
messed up
Alternative explanation?
Kid was born that way,
Temperament
Temperament
Aspects of behavior and emotion that are:
1. Constitutional (in-born, genetic)
2. Stable across time and situations
3. Neurophysiologically based
Temperament and Emotions
This Emotion
Temperament Aspect

Emotionality
Fear, anger, distress
Sociability
Pos. emotions to others
Impulsivity
Time to express emotion
Smiling/laughing
Happiness, pleasure
Fear
Fear
Bothered by limitations
Anger
Soothability
Recovery from neg. emot.
How Stable is Temperament?
In early infancy –
Correl. 6 mos. To 9 mos.
Smiling, Laughter:
r = .48
Fear:
r = .37
Distress re. Limits (Anger):
r = .51
Easy/Diff. At:
3 yrs
Easy/difficult as an adult
r = .31
4 yrs
r = .37
5 Yrs
r =.15
Is Temperament Genetic?
How would this be tested?
With what kind of population?
Twins
Monozygotic (MZ)
Share all genes: identical
Dizygotic (DZ)
Share half genes: Not identical
Pictures of DZ Twins
Results of Twin Studies and
Temperament (Metheny, et al., 1981)
6 mos
Hurt Feelings
2 yrs
MZ
DZ
MZ
DZ
NA
NA
.37
.13
Tantrums
.39
.26
.41
.15
Irritability
.45
.29
.46
.28
Crying
.62
.51
.59
.39
Temperament and Strange Situation
Temperament may explain Strange Situation
Irritable newborns insecurely attached
Neurophysio-reactive  ambivalent
Interest in objects vs. people  avoidant
Interactive explanation
Parents respond to newborns temperament
Parent either flexible or inflexible to baby temp.
Baby’s emotional profile reflects “goodness of fit”