Measuring sensitivity moment-by-moment: A microanalytic look at the transmission of attachment

Abstract

Meta-analyses have indicated that the mediating power of sensitivity in the transmission of attachment across generations is not nearly as great as would be predicted by attachment theory (van IJzendoorn, 1995; De Wolff & van IJzendoorn, 1997). To make sense of these findings, the author suggests that current measures of sensitivity should be expanded to include the assessment of mother-infant behavior on a micro-behavioral level. This paper reviews evidence for two central propositions: (1) The internal working model of mothers is expressed in subtle, fine-grained interactive behaviors with their infants, and (2) infants perceive and remember these behaviors in the form of interactional expectancies. Following these propositions, hypothesized representational micromodels for each major attachment organization are then offered, based on the Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP) approach to information processing. In closing, this paper presents some of the most pressing unresolved issues for attachment researchers as they seek to empirically identify the mechanisms by which attachment is transmitted across generations.