2023-2025 Year 12 A-Level Psychology: Attachment: The Effects Of Institutionalisation
These flashcards explore the concept of institutionalisation — when children spend extended periods in institutions rather than family homes. They outline its definition, examples, and the three main psychological effects, including a focus on reactive attachment disorder.
Give an example of an institution
An orphanage
Key Terms
Give an example of an institution
An orphanage
Define institutionalisation
Children spending a long period of time living outside of the family home within an institution.
Name the three effects of institutionalisation
1) Reactive attachment disorder
2) Disinhibited attachment
3) Cognitive impairment
Which effect of institutionalisation is being described?
“Caused by an an extreme lack of sensitive responsiveness from a parent. The child grows up unable to trust or love others, is isolated and can become sociopathic”
Reactive attachment disorder
Which effect of institutionalisation involves a child who choose attachment figures indiscriminately and behave in an overly familiar way with complete strangers e.g. being affectionate.
Disinhibited attachment
Which effect of institutionalisation involves a delay in intellectual development for example low IQ and problems with concentration?
Cognitive impairment
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Give an example of an institution | An orphanage |
Define institutionalisation | Children spending a long period of time living outside of the family home within an institution. |
Name the three effects of institutionalisation | 1) Reactive attachment disorder |
Which effect of institutionalisation is being described? “Caused by an an extreme lack of sensitive responsiveness from a parent. The child grows up unable to trust or love others, is isolated and can become sociopathic” | Reactive attachment disorder |
Which effect of institutionalisation involves a child who choose attachment figures indiscriminately and behave in an overly familiar way with complete strangers e.g. being affectionate. | Disinhibited attachment |
Which effect of institutionalisation involves a delay in intellectual development for example low IQ and problems with concentration? | Cognitive impairment |
Which effect of institutionalisation is caused by long periods of institutional care in early life with children having multiple different caregivers during this sensitive period for attachment formation? | Disinhibited attachment |
Name the ways in which a child’s cognitive ability may be impaired as a result of institutionalisation | Low IQ |
Who carried out research into the effects of institutionalisation in Romanian orphans? | Rutter |
Rutter conducted a longitudinal study in 1998, and assessed the children at what ages? | 6, 6, 11 and 15. |
| The age of adoption |
Rutter studies three groups - what were they? | Adopted before age of 6 months |
How many Romanian orphans did Rutter study? | 111 |
Who did Rutter compare the group of Romanian orphans to? | A control group of 52 British adopted children |
How many British adopted children did Rutter compare the Romanian orphans to? | 52 |
What percentage of the Romanian orphans showed signs of cognitive impairment and were severely undernourished when they arrived in the UK? | 50% |
What percentage of the Romanian orphans showed signs of cognitive impairment and were severely undernourished when they arrived in the UK? | 50% |
By the age of 4 which group of children were most likely to show a higher level of disinhibited attachment? a) those adopted before 6 months | c) those adopted after the age of two (late adoptees) |
What did Rutter find about the cognitive abilities (IQ) of children adopted later (after two) compared to those adopted before the age of 6 months? | Children adopted after the age of two had lower mean IQ compared to those adopted before 6 months who showed ‘normal’ IQ. |
What did Rutter conclude about the effects of institutional care? a) It can never be overcome no matter what age the child is adopted into nurturing care | b) Some negative effects can be overcome by sensitive, nurturing care, especially if the adoption takes place earlier |
What did Rutter conclude about the effects of institutional care? a) It can never be overcome no matter what age the child is adopted into nurturing care | b) Some negative effects can be overcome by sensitive, nurturing care, especially if the adoption takes place earlier |
A03 Give one example of practical applications of Rutter’s research into institutional care. | Avoiding putting children into institutional care e.g. foster carers or adoptive parents. OR Children in children’s homes having one or two key workers to give emotional care. |
Two effects of institutionalisation are reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited attachment. What is the third? | Cognitive impairment |
Two effects of institutionalisation are disinhibited attachment and cognitive impairment. What is the third? | Reactive attachment disorder |
Two effects of institutionalisation are reactive attachment disorder and cognitive impairment. What is the third? | Disinhibited attachment. |
A03 Why does Rutter's research have higher control over EV's compared to other studies? a) Because the children had experienced trauma and neglect before being adopted which may have affected their development | b) Because the children were less likely to have experienced trauma and neglect because they had parents who loved them but had to give them up because they could not afford to keep them. |
A03 What confounding variables affected Rutter's study? | 1) Quality of care in the different orphanages OR 2) The children could not be randomly assigned to the different conditions |
A03 Why couldn't Rutter randomly assign the children to the different conditions (adopted before 6 months, adopted between 6 months and 2 years, adopted after 2 years)? | Because it was a naturally occurring IV that it would be unethical to manipulate. |
Rutter used a natural experiment - what was the naturally occurring IV? | Age children were adopted at. |
Why is Rutter's research an example of a longitudinal study? | The study began in 1998 and the children's were assessed over years as they got older. |
What year did Rutter's research start? | 1998 |
True or False: The IV in Rutter's research is the children's development The DV in Rutter's research is the age of adoption | FALSE! It is the other way around :) |