The Psychobiology of Attachment and Separation

The Psychobiology of Attachment and Separation provides an understanding of certain theoretical issues involved in social attachment and separation. The book brings together a number of investigators studying animal and human models of the psychobiology of attachment and separation. The contributors are actively conducting studies that incorporate physiological measures in attachment-separation paradigms. Thus, the book's unique features include reviews and interpretations of recent data on the physiological correlates of attachment and separation behavior in both animals and humans. The book is divided into two parts, one on animal models and one on human models. The first part reviews research from several animal species, including studies on the biology of maternal behavior and physiological, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical correlates of both attachment and separation. The chapters on animal models provide an overview of the state of knowledge on both the biology of social attachment and the biological correlates of separation. The second part presents reviews and new data on attachment and separation in human infants. A summary chapter examines both animal and human data and offers a synthesis of the results, including clinical implications and ideas for future research.

Table of Contents:
Contributors Preface Part I Animal Models 1. Brain Opioids and Social Emotions Conceptual Background The Brain Opioid Hypothesis of Social Affect Social Bonding and Narcotic Addiction Brain Mechanisms of Gregariousness Separation-Induced Physiological Changes and Brain Opioids, Social Attachments, and Psychopathologies Conclusions References 2. Biology of Maternal Behavior: Recent Findings and Implications Introduction Mothers, Maternal Behavior, and Maternal Attachment Biological Bases of Maternal Behavior in Rats Biological Bases of Maternal Behavior in Nonhuman Primates Implications Conclusions References 3. Neurobiology of Affiliative Behavior in Nonhuman Primates Introduction Brain Lesion and Electrical Recording Studies Neurochemical Studies Neural Mechanisms Reconsidered References 4. Effects of Differences in Early Social Experience on Primate Neurobiological-Behavioral Development The Social Primate: A Social-Biological Approach Effects of Early Deprivation on Rhesus Monkeys: The Isolation Syndrome Experimental Approaches to the Study of the Neurobiology of Attachment Implications for Human Social Behavior and Psychopathology References 5. Endocrine and Immune Responses to Separation and Maternal Loss in Nonhuman Primates Introduction Temporal Aspects of the Separation Response in Squirrel Monkeys Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Separation Response Influence of the Home Environment and Social Support Effect of Repeated Separation Experiences Pharmacological Manipulations of the Vocalization Response Importance of the Adrenal Response to Separation Effect of Separation on the Immune System Comparison with the Separation Response of the Rhesus Macaque General Considerations References 6. Separation and Depression: Biological Markers Introduction Relationship to Human Depression General Considerations Concerning Disease Models Mother-Infant Separation Peer Separation Model Interactions of Pharmacological Agents with Peer Separation Use of Animal Models to Investigate an Interactive Model of Depression References 7. On the Nature of Social Separation and Social Attachment Introduction Attachment as Viewed from the Standpoint of Separation Attachment and Psychobiological Synchrony Evidence for the Neurobiological Basis of Attachment Evolutionary Correlates Clinical Considerations Conclusions References Part II Human Models 8. The Attachment Learning Process and Its Relation to Cultural and Biological Evolution: Proximate and Ultimate Considerations Introduction The Paleoanthropological Background Biological Constraints on Behavioral Development and the Ecological Adaptation of Behavior Proximate Developmental Processes and the Role of Learning Attachment Learning: A Comparative Analysis Processes of Proximate and Ultimate Causation: A Developmental Perspective On the Evolutionary Origins of Attachment Behavior Parental Investment, Inclusive Fitness, and Attachment Theory: The New Synthesis Concluding Remarks References 9. Multiple Caretaking in the Context of Human Evolution: Why Don't the Efé Know the Western Prescription for Child Care? Introduction Continuous Care and Contact Model Selected Observations of Efé Child-Rearing Practices Efé Practices: Social and Biological Demands A Model of Regulation of Exchanges between Organism and Environment References 10. Biobehavioral Antecedents in the Development of Infant-Mother Attachment Introduction Ethological-Organizational Theory Attachment Quality: Assessment and Diagnosis Antecedents of Attachment Quality Biobehavioral Pathways to Infant-Mother Attachment Neuroendocrine Antecedents to Infant Attachment The Michael Reese Infant-Mother Research Program Method Summary and Conclusion References 11. Variations in Parental and Nonparental Response to Early Infant Communication Introduction Parental Responses to Infant Smiles and Cries Parental Responses to Premature Infants Response of Mothers Who Have Preterm Infants of Their Own Response Patterns of Abusive Mothers Children's Responses to Infant Smiles and Cries Summary References 12. Cardiac Responses of Mothers and Infants in Ainsworth's Strange Situation Introduction Empirical Studies Analogue Studies of Maternal Responsivity Cardiac Response of Mothers and Infants in the Strange Situation Learned Helplessness Model of Maternal Response Application of the Helplessness Model Summary References 13. Behavioral and Autonomic Antecedents of Attachment in High-Risk Infants Introduction Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as a Measure of Central Nervous System (CNS) Integrity HRV Differences among High-Risk Infants HRV and Facial Expression The Relations of HRV to Attachment Developmental Implications Summary References 14. Attachment as Psychobiological Attunement: Being on the Same Wavelength Introduction The Bowlby-Ainsworth Model of Attachment Physiological Data Confirming a Biphasic Response to Separation Separation: A Sufficient But Not a Necessary Condition Peer Attachment and Separation Differential Stimulation and Arousal Modulation Needs May Be Met by Different Individuals Mother-Infant Interactions Illustrating Attunement Disturbed Mother-Infant Interactions Illustrating Lack of Attunement Manipulations of Early Mother-Infant Interactions: Perturbations of Attunement Peer Interactions Attachments between Adults Summary References 15. The Psychobiology of Attachment and Separation: A Summary Introduction Individual Differences in Attachment Biological Markers and Mechanisms Underlying Attachment and Separation: Animal Models Separation Behavior: Biphasic Response Psychobiological Attunement or Synchrony: An Alternative Model of Attachment Future Directions for Research References Author Index Subject Index