Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

380 CHAPTER 9 Lifespan DevelopmentCRITICAL THINKINGThe Effects of Child Care on Attachment and DevelopmentOn average, the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers of workingmothers spend 36 hours a week in child care (Leach, 2007;NACCRRA, 2008). Does extensive day care during the first years oflife create insecurely attached infants and toddlers? Does it producenegative effects in later childhood? Let’s look at the evidence.Developmental psychologist Jay Belsky (1992, 2001, 2002)sparked considerable controversy when he published studies showingthat infants under a year old were more likely to demonstrateinsecure attachment if they experienced over 30 hours of day careper week. Based on his research, Belsky contended that childrenwho entered full-time day care before their first birthday were “atrisk” to be insecurely attached to their parents. He also claimedthat extensive experience with non maternal care was linked to aggressivebehavior in preschool and kindergarten.Belsky did not claim that all infants in day care were likely to experienceinsecure attachment. Reviewing the data in Belsky’s studiesand others, psychologist Alison Clarke-Stewart (1989, 1992)pointed out that the actual difference in attachment was quitesmall when infants experiencing day care were compared with infantscared for by a parent. The proportion of insecurely attachedinfants in day care is only slightly higher than the proportion typicallyfound in the general population (Lamb & others, 1992).In other words, most of the children who had started day carein infancy were securely attached, just like most of the childrenwho had not experienced extensive day care during infancy. Similarly,a large, long-term study of the effects of child care onattachment found that spending more hours per week in day carewas associated with insecure attachment only in preschoolers whoalso experienced less sensitive and less responsive maternal care(NICHD, 2006). Preschoolers whose mothers were sensitive andIndividual Attention and Learning Activities High-quality childcare centers offer a variety of age-appropriate (and fun!) activities,toys, and experiences that help nurture a child’s motor,cognitive, and social skills. Individual attention from consistentcaregivers or teachers helps foster the young child’s sense ofpredictability and security in the care setting.responsive showed no greater likelihood of being insecurely attached,regardless of the number of hours spent in day care.So what about the long-term effects of day care? One studyfound that third-graders with extensive infant day-care experiencewere more likely to demonstrate a variety of social and academicproblems (Vandell & Corasaniti, 1990). However, these childrenwere not enrolled in high-quality day care. Rather, they experiencedaverage day-care conditions in a state with relatively low standardsfor day-care centers. But even in this case, it’s difficult to assign theThe Importance ofAttachment Secure attachmentin infancyforms the basis foremotional bonds inlater childhood. At onetime, attachment researchersfocused onlyon the relationshipbetween mothers andinfants. Today, theimportance of the attachmentrelationshipbetween fathers andchildren is also recognized(Grossman &others, 2002).forming a secure attachment to them. And, cross-cultural studies have confirmedthat sensitivity to the infant’s needs is associated with secure attachment in diversecultures (Posada & others, 2002, 2004; Vaughn & others, 2007).In contrast, insecure attachment may develop when an infant’s parents areneglectful, inconsistent, or insensitive to his moods or behaviors. Insecure attachmentseems to reflect an ambivalent or detached emotional relationship between aninfant and his parents (Ainsworth, 1979; Isabella & others, 1989).How do researchers measure attachment? The most commonlyused procedure, called the Strange Situation, was devised byAinsworth. The Strange Situation is typically used with infants whoare between 1 and 2 years old (Ainsworth & others, 1978). In thistechnique, the baby and his mother are brought into an unfamiliarroom with a variety of toys. A few minutes later, a stranger enters theroom. The mother stays with the child for a few moments, then departs,leaving the child alone with the stranger. After a few minutes,the mother returns, spends a few minutes in the room, leaves, and returnsagain. Through a one-way window, observers record the infant’sbehavior throughout this sequence of separations and reunions.Psychologists assess attachment by observing the infant’s behavior towardhis mother during the Strange Situation procedure. When hismother is present, the securely attached infant will use her as a “securebase” from which to explore the new environment, periodically returningto her side. He will show distress when his mother leaves the room