AQA Psychology A Level 2021 Paper 2 MS
1. pharmacodynamics (what a drwhat is Reciprocity ? - (ANSWER)how 2 people interact
both infant and mother respond to each others signals and elicit a response
mothers usually pick up on and respond to the infants 2/3 of the time ( Feldman and
Eildman 2007)
Brazleton et al describes the interaction as a couples dance as each partner responds to
each others moves
what is Interactional Synchrony and who are the researches behind it ? -
(ANSWER)mother and infant reflect both actions and emotions of the other in a
coordinated way. Meltzoff and Moore observed interactional synchrony in children as
young as 2 weeks old. An adult displayed one of 3 facial expressions or gestures. the
child's response was filmed and identified by independent observers . there was a link
between adults gesture and babies actions.
Isabelle et al observed 30 mothers and assessed their level of synchrony. high levels of
synchrony meant better quality of mother infant attachment
what are the advantages and disadvantages of caregiver-infant interactions? - (ANSWER)-
subjective as babies expression may have no meaning
- observations don't tell us why there is reciprocity and interational synchrony
- it is socially sensitive as Isabelle et al's study shows that mothers should not go to work
+ controlled observations
Parent- infant attachment - (ANSWER)traditionally the mother
Schaffer and Emerson found what babied become attached to their mother first around 7
moths then secondary attachment a few weeks later. in 75% of the studies an attachment
,was made with the father by 18 months ( determined by baby showing separation anxiety
from father)
Role of the father - (ANSWER)Grossman carried out longitude study looking at both
parents behaviour and attachment with child until their teens. The attachment with the
mother was related to the child's attachment during adolescent suggesting the father is
less important . however, the quality of the fathers play with the child was related to their
quality of attachment suggesting the fathers role is more to do with play and stimulation
rather than nurture.
Father as primary care giver - (ANSWER)evidence shows that fathers can adapt to the role
of primary care giver if mother not present. Field filmed 4 moth old baby interact with
primary mother, primary father , and secondary father. Primary fathers and mothers
spent more time smiling , imitating and holding than the secondary father. therefore
gender does not affect attachment.
advantages and disadvantages of attachment figures - (ANSWER)- inconsistent findings as
different researchers are interested in finding different things e.g. primary and secondary
attachment. no studies actually tell us what the role of the father is.
-socially sensitive as suggests child might be at a disadvantage if mother goes back to
work
- children with fathers growing up are no difference showing similar role
+ biological explanation, woman have more oestrogen making them more nurturing
Schaffer and Emerson's Study - (ANSWER)investigated the aims of early attachment at the
age which they develop emotional intensity and to whom they direct it at
60 babies (1 male and 29 female) from Glasgow working class families . they were visited
to their homes every month for for the first year and again at 18 months. mothers asked
if babies show any protest and tested separation and stranger anxiety.
,they found that between 25 and 32 months 50% of babies showed signs of separation
anxiety . they showed reciprocity. BY age 40 weeks 80% of babies had specific attachment
and 30% showed multiple attachment
Schaffer and Emerson evaluation - (ANSWER)+good external validity as carried out in the
homes
+longitudinal so good internal validity as children followed up so no confounding
variables as same children used
- can't be generalised
- doesn't necessarily measure attachment as stranger and separation anxiety are only two
components that make up attachment
Stage 1 of attachment - (ANSWER)asocial stage
birth to 2 months
recognising and forming bonds with carer but behaviours towards human and non-
human objects are similar.
baby shows preference to familiar people and can calm down quickly with them
baby happier in the presence of humans
Stage 2 of attachment - (ANSWER)indiscriminate stage
2-7 months
child shows preference to humans rather than inanimate objects. they recognise and
prefer similar objects
they accept comfort from any adult
do not show stranger of separation anxiety
Stage 3 of attachment - (ANSWER)specific attachment
around 7 months
, infant starts to show stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. the child has formed a
specific attachment with the primary caregiver
Stage 4 of attachment - (ANSWER)multiple attachments
a month after forming specific attachments
child forms secondary attachment
evaluation of sages of development - (ANSWER)- problems with asocial stage as baby has
no coordination and is immobile so judgements on behaviour can not be made when this
young
- problems with multiple attachments as not clear when baby forms second attachment
as different in collectivist cultures
- the stage theory suggests that development of attachment is not flexible
+application as gives a mothers point of view of their child's progress in attachment
Lorenz's Research - (ANSWER)Lorenz randomly divided goose eggs. Half of them hatched
in a natural environment with their mother. The others hatched in an incubator and the
first moving thing they saw was Lorenz.
Incubator group followed Lorenz and the control group followed the mother duck. This
was imprinting whereby bird species that are mobile from birth attach to and follow the
first moving object they see. Lorenz identified a critical period in which imprinting needs
to take place this can be as brief as a few hours after hatching. if they did not form an
attachment in this time Lorenz found that the chicks did not attach themselves to a
mother figure
Evaluation of Lorenz's research - (ANSWER)- research may not generalise to other animals
let alone humans
- observations can be questioned. E.g. the idea that imprinting has a permanent effect on
mating behaviour. Guiton et al found that some chickens imprinted on yellow washing up
gloves would try and mate with them as well as adults. But with experience they learnt
1. pharmacodynamics (what a drwhat is Reciprocity ? - (ANSWER)how 2 people interact
both infant and mother respond to each others signals and elicit a response
mothers usually pick up on and respond to the infants 2/3 of the time ( Feldman and
Eildman 2007)
Brazleton et al describes the interaction as a couples dance as each partner responds to
each others moves
what is Interactional Synchrony and who are the researches behind it ? -
(ANSWER)mother and infant reflect both actions and emotions of the other in a
coordinated way. Meltzoff and Moore observed interactional synchrony in children as
young as 2 weeks old. An adult displayed one of 3 facial expressions or gestures. the
child's response was filmed and identified by independent observers . there was a link
between adults gesture and babies actions.
Isabelle et al observed 30 mothers and assessed their level of synchrony. high levels of
synchrony meant better quality of mother infant attachment
what are the advantages and disadvantages of caregiver-infant interactions? - (ANSWER)-
subjective as babies expression may have no meaning
- observations don't tell us why there is reciprocity and interational synchrony
- it is socially sensitive as Isabelle et al's study shows that mothers should not go to work
+ controlled observations
Parent- infant attachment - (ANSWER)traditionally the mother
Schaffer and Emerson found what babied become attached to their mother first around 7
moths then secondary attachment a few weeks later. in 75% of the studies an attachment
,was made with the father by 18 months ( determined by baby showing separation anxiety
from father)
Role of the father - (ANSWER)Grossman carried out longitude study looking at both
parents behaviour and attachment with child until their teens. The attachment with the
mother was related to the child's attachment during adolescent suggesting the father is
less important . however, the quality of the fathers play with the child was related to their
quality of attachment suggesting the fathers role is more to do with play and stimulation
rather than nurture.
Father as primary care giver - (ANSWER)evidence shows that fathers can adapt to the role
of primary care giver if mother not present. Field filmed 4 moth old baby interact with
primary mother, primary father , and secondary father. Primary fathers and mothers
spent more time smiling , imitating and holding than the secondary father. therefore
gender does not affect attachment.
advantages and disadvantages of attachment figures - (ANSWER)- inconsistent findings as
different researchers are interested in finding different things e.g. primary and secondary
attachment. no studies actually tell us what the role of the father is.
-socially sensitive as suggests child might be at a disadvantage if mother goes back to
work
- children with fathers growing up are no difference showing similar role
+ biological explanation, woman have more oestrogen making them more nurturing
Schaffer and Emerson's Study - (ANSWER)investigated the aims of early attachment at the
age which they develop emotional intensity and to whom they direct it at
60 babies (1 male and 29 female) from Glasgow working class families . they were visited
to their homes every month for for the first year and again at 18 months. mothers asked
if babies show any protest and tested separation and stranger anxiety.
,they found that between 25 and 32 months 50% of babies showed signs of separation
anxiety . they showed reciprocity. BY age 40 weeks 80% of babies had specific attachment
and 30% showed multiple attachment
Schaffer and Emerson evaluation - (ANSWER)+good external validity as carried out in the
homes
+longitudinal so good internal validity as children followed up so no confounding
variables as same children used
- can't be generalised
- doesn't necessarily measure attachment as stranger and separation anxiety are only two
components that make up attachment
Stage 1 of attachment - (ANSWER)asocial stage
birth to 2 months
recognising and forming bonds with carer but behaviours towards human and non-
human objects are similar.
baby shows preference to familiar people and can calm down quickly with them
baby happier in the presence of humans
Stage 2 of attachment - (ANSWER)indiscriminate stage
2-7 months
child shows preference to humans rather than inanimate objects. they recognise and
prefer similar objects
they accept comfort from any adult
do not show stranger of separation anxiety
Stage 3 of attachment - (ANSWER)specific attachment
around 7 months
, infant starts to show stranger anxiety and separation anxiety. the child has formed a
specific attachment with the primary caregiver
Stage 4 of attachment - (ANSWER)multiple attachments
a month after forming specific attachments
child forms secondary attachment
evaluation of sages of development - (ANSWER)- problems with asocial stage as baby has
no coordination and is immobile so judgements on behaviour can not be made when this
young
- problems with multiple attachments as not clear when baby forms second attachment
as different in collectivist cultures
- the stage theory suggests that development of attachment is not flexible
+application as gives a mothers point of view of their child's progress in attachment
Lorenz's Research - (ANSWER)Lorenz randomly divided goose eggs. Half of them hatched
in a natural environment with their mother. The others hatched in an incubator and the
first moving thing they saw was Lorenz.
Incubator group followed Lorenz and the control group followed the mother duck. This
was imprinting whereby bird species that are mobile from birth attach to and follow the
first moving object they see. Lorenz identified a critical period in which imprinting needs
to take place this can be as brief as a few hours after hatching. if they did not form an
attachment in this time Lorenz found that the chicks did not attach themselves to a
mother figure
Evaluation of Lorenz's research - (ANSWER)- research may not generalise to other animals
let alone humans
- observations can be questioned. E.g. the idea that imprinting has a permanent effect on
mating behaviour. Guiton et al found that some chickens imprinted on yellow washing up
gloves would try and mate with them as well as adults. But with experience they learnt
