Developmental Psychology.

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        Mrs Evans                 Rebecca Johnson

12A

Developmental Psychology

a) Outline the development of attachments (e.g. Schaffer)

Schaffer and Emerson discovered the phases in the development of an attachment. These are,

0-2 months, which is the pre-attachment stage. At this stage infants produce similar responses to all objects. They begin to show a greater preference for social stimuli, such as smiling and they are more content when they are with people.

2-7 months is the ‘Attachment in the making’ stage. This is where infants become more social and they prefer human company and can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people. Strangers can easily comfort them and they have an overall general sociability.

7-24 months, is the specific/clear cut attachments (separation protest and stranger anxiety.) At this stage the infants show uneasiness with strangers and put up protest when they are left alone.

8 months, is the Multiple attachment stage and at this stage they develop a wide circle of attachments.

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b) Describe the procedures and findings of one study in which the effects of privation have been investigated.  

The study I have chosen is Bowlby’s 44 thieves study. He took 88 clients form a child guidance clinic. Forty-four of these children had been referred to the clinic because of stealing (the thieves). Some of these thieves were referred to as affectionless psychopaths, because they showed little sense of social responsibility and showed no guilt either. Other children referred to the clinic had not committed any crimes, were emotionally maladjusted and did not display any anti-social behaviour. This ...

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