At the intersection of social and cognitive development: internal working models of attachment in infancy

Susan C Johnson; Carol S Dweck; Frances S Chen; Hilarie L Stern; Su-Jeong Ok; Maria Barth

doi:10.1111/j.1551-6709.2010.01112.x

At the intersection of social and cognitive development: internal working models of attachment in infancy

Cogn Sci. 2010 Jul;34(5):807-25. doi: 10.1111/j.1551-6709.2010.01112.x.

Authors

Susan C Johnson¹, Carol S Dweck, Frances S Chen, Hilarie L Stern, Su-Jeong Ok, Maria Barth

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University Department of Psychology, Stanford University Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg.

PMID: 21564237
DOI: 10.1111/j.1551-6709.2010.01112.x

Abstract

Three visual habituation studies using abstract animations tested the claim that infants' attachment behavior in the Strange Situation procedure corresponds to their expectations about caregiver-infant interactions. Three unique patterns of expectations were revealed. Securely attached infants expected infants to seek comfort from caregivers and expected caregivers to provide comfort. Insecure-resistant infants not only expected infants to seek comfort from caregivers but also expected caregivers to withhold comfort. Insecure-avoidant infants expected infants to avoid seeking comfort from caregivers and expected caregivers to withhold comfort. These data support Bowlby's (1958) original claims-that infants form internal working models of attachment that are expressed in infants' own behavior.