Problem 3 1.5
Reflexes + Attachment
Types of Reflexes
o Permanent Reflexes
Blinking
Kneejerk
Withdrawing reflex
o Temporary Reflexes
Babinski reflex (10-12 months)
- Stroke foot – curl toes
Moro reflex (6-7 months)
- Impression of falling – spread arms and legs and clench fist
Rooting response (3-4 months)
- Stroke head – turn head to drink/suck
Stepping reflex (3-4 months)
- When baby is held upright and moved forwards – stepping movements in rhythm
Sucking response (6 months)
- Insert finger/ bottle/ nipple – rhythmically sucking
Swimming reflex (4-6 months)
- When in contact with water -stay afloat by moving arms/ legs and holding breath
o Adaptive/ survival reflex- a reflex that disappears but is essential for survival as an infant
(sucking, rooting,)
o Primitive reflex- a reflex that disappears gradually and turn into controlled movement
(stepping, swimming)
Miller Article
Reflexes- simple automatic response to stimuli
Fixed action patterns- complex innate automatic behaviour that promotes survival as
it usually ends in feeding, reproducing or protecting.
General learning skills- our general predisposition to learn complex and executive
behaviour from experience is determined by our biology.
Specific learning skills- a person doesn’t learn everything equally as easily; we have a
bias towards learning e.g. language. Some people learn more easily than others
Ethological/contemporary theory (Bowlby)
Based on evolutionary theories which state that attachment has its roots in
instinctual infant responses that are important for protection and survival
Communication between the child and the parent leads to a mutual attachment
Based on security/trust, feeding and built in behaviours such as imprinting
, Phases of attachment
Pre-attachment (0-6 weeks)
- Indiscriminate social responses (smiling, gazing, grasping, crying)
- Recognise mother’s smell and voice
- No separation protests
Attachment-in-the-making (6 weeks – 8 months)
- Discriminate responses to caregiver
- Sense of trust
- No real separation protests
- Recognise familiar faces
Clear-cut attachment (6/8 months – 18/24 months)
- Strong separation protest
- Try to manipulate/maintain caregivers’ presence
- Consider the caregiver a secure base from which can be explored
- Growing understanding of object permanence
Goal corrected partnership/ reciprocal relationship (18-24 months)
- Language allows communication and negotiation about separation thus a
reduction of separation
- Ability to withstand separation due to cognitive development of object
permanence
- Child understands parents needs (2-sided relationship)
Types of attachment
Secure (60-65%)
- Secure enough to explore
- minimal distress when separated
- easily comforted by caregiver
- happy on caregivers return
- seek proximity
- much interaction
insecure-avoidant (20%)
- unbothered by mother’s absence
- avoid caregiver
- unbothered at reunion phase
- sociable/indifferent with strangers
- focus more on toys
- no stranger/separation anxiety
insecure-resistant (10-15%)
- very upset by separation from caregiver
- distressed by stranger
Reflexes + Attachment
Types of Reflexes
o Permanent Reflexes
Blinking
Kneejerk
Withdrawing reflex
o Temporary Reflexes
Babinski reflex (10-12 months)
- Stroke foot – curl toes
Moro reflex (6-7 months)
- Impression of falling – spread arms and legs and clench fist
Rooting response (3-4 months)
- Stroke head – turn head to drink/suck
Stepping reflex (3-4 months)
- When baby is held upright and moved forwards – stepping movements in rhythm
Sucking response (6 months)
- Insert finger/ bottle/ nipple – rhythmically sucking
Swimming reflex (4-6 months)
- When in contact with water -stay afloat by moving arms/ legs and holding breath
o Adaptive/ survival reflex- a reflex that disappears but is essential for survival as an infant
(sucking, rooting,)
o Primitive reflex- a reflex that disappears gradually and turn into controlled movement
(stepping, swimming)
Miller Article
Reflexes- simple automatic response to stimuli
Fixed action patterns- complex innate automatic behaviour that promotes survival as
it usually ends in feeding, reproducing or protecting.
General learning skills- our general predisposition to learn complex and executive
behaviour from experience is determined by our biology.
Specific learning skills- a person doesn’t learn everything equally as easily; we have a
bias towards learning e.g. language. Some people learn more easily than others
Ethological/contemporary theory (Bowlby)
Based on evolutionary theories which state that attachment has its roots in
instinctual infant responses that are important for protection and survival
Communication between the child and the parent leads to a mutual attachment
Based on security/trust, feeding and built in behaviours such as imprinting
, Phases of attachment
Pre-attachment (0-6 weeks)
- Indiscriminate social responses (smiling, gazing, grasping, crying)
- Recognise mother’s smell and voice
- No separation protests
Attachment-in-the-making (6 weeks – 8 months)
- Discriminate responses to caregiver
- Sense of trust
- No real separation protests
- Recognise familiar faces
Clear-cut attachment (6/8 months – 18/24 months)
- Strong separation protest
- Try to manipulate/maintain caregivers’ presence
- Consider the caregiver a secure base from which can be explored
- Growing understanding of object permanence
Goal corrected partnership/ reciprocal relationship (18-24 months)
- Language allows communication and negotiation about separation thus a
reduction of separation
- Ability to withstand separation due to cognitive development of object
permanence
- Child understands parents needs (2-sided relationship)
Types of attachment
Secure (60-65%)
- Secure enough to explore
- minimal distress when separated
- easily comforted by caregiver
- happy on caregivers return
- seek proximity
- much interaction
insecure-avoidant (20%)
- unbothered by mother’s absence
- avoid caregiver
- unbothered at reunion phase
- sociable/indifferent with strangers
- focus more on toys
- no stranger/separation anxiety
insecure-resistant (10-15%)
- very upset by separation from caregiver
- distressed by stranger
