Deck 8: Case Studies 13-14 John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth: Contributions

Question 1

How does Klein's discussion of the mother's breast as both good and bad compare with Sullivan's good mother/bad mother personification?

Answer 1

Sullivan's and Klein's theories are similar because both discussed the idea that children split important people into good and bad parts.Sullivan thought that good and bad feeding experiences resulted in personifications of the good and bad breast, and ultimately, the good and bad mother.Klein suggested something similar, but she also discussed the good and bad mother in love/hate terms.Sullivan's and Klein's theories are also different in that Klein's depends upon the concept of infantile fantasy and object relations (i.e., satisfiers of drives), whereas Sullivan's emphasis is on interpersonal relationships and styles.

Question 2

In which of Sullivan's stages would you place Brian at the end of the case? Explain.

Answer 2

He is at the end of the childhood stage or the beginning of the juvenile era, as would be appropriate for his age.He may be at the beginning of the juvenile era because the case indicates that the good Brian and bad Brian (good me/bad me) personifications have already been fused into a single self dynamism.This usually happens during the childhood stage and it is already accomplished.However, he may still be in the childhood stage because he still has imaginary playmates in the form of the "ghost monsters."

Question 3

Use Bandura's concept of reciprocal determinism to explain Tammy and Brian's breastfeeding experiences.How does this compare with Sullivan's explanation?

Answer 3

Bandura suggested that the person (P), behavior (B), and the environment (E) all influence each other.Tammy and Brian's breastfeeding experiences can be used to illustrate this.Tammy (P) influenced the experience in that she was the person engaging in the breastfeeding and in that her cognitive and emotional reactions to nursing influenced Brian (E), as did the experience (B), itself.Brian could sense Tammy's resentment and anxiety.Furthermore, Tammy's negative reaction to nursing (B influencing P) forced her to stop and replace it with bottle-feeding (B).Brian (E) influenced Tammy (P) because he was a demanding baby and often latched onto the breast incorrectly.The environment (E) also influenced the event in that Tammy was a first-time mother and was unprepared for the time needed for, and discomfort she experienced while, breastfeeding (B).Bandura's explanation of the breastfeeding experience is quite different than Sullivan's.Whereas Bandura's theory could explain it through the use of reciprocal determinism, as just described, and emphasized cognitive, as well as social factors, Sullivan's theory explains it through the use of interpersonal relationships, especially through the use of personifications (good mother/bad mother) and the need for tenderness.

Question 4

Which of Sullivan's needs were fulfilled for Stacy? Provide evidence for your answer.

Question 5

Use Skinner's radical behaviorism to explain Tammy and Brian's breastfeeding experiences.How does this compare with Sullivan's explanation?

Question 6

What did Stacy experience during Sullivan's Preadolescence Stage? How did these experiences impact her personality?

Question 7

According to Maslow, which of Stacy's needs have been fulfilled? How do Maslow's needs compare with Sullivan's?

Question 8

Using Sullivan's theory, interpret Tammy and Brian's feeding experiences.

Question 9

How could Sullivan's theory interpret Brian's "witching hour" and his subsequent falling asleep?

Question 10

What did Stacy experience during Sullivan's Juvenile Era? How did these experiences impact her personality?

Question 11

What did Stacy experience during Sullivan's Early Adolescence Stage? How did these experiences impact her personality?

Question 12

Using Sullivan's interpersonal personality theory, analyze Tammy and Brian's behavior by answering the following questions.
What is a personification according to Sullivan? Find examples of the good mother, bad mother, good me and bad me personifications in the case study.

Question 13

Using Sullivan's interpersonal personality theory, analyze Stacy's behavior by answering the following questions.
How could Stacy's interactions be characterized? How could these interactions be considered "personality" according to Sullivan's theory?

Question 14

What would Stacy have to do in order to form a genuine love relationship, according to Sullivan's theory?

Question 15

What did Stacy experience during Sullivan's Late Adolescence Stage? How did these experiences impact her personality?

Question 16

What did Stacy experience during Sullivan's Adulthood Stage? How did these experiences impact her personality?

Question 17

Which other theories, besides Sullivan's, could also explain Stacy's behavior? How?

Question 18

How could evolutionary psychology explain Stacy's relationships with men? How does this compare with Sullivan's explanation?

Question 19

What level of cognition does Brian display at the end of the case according to Sullivan's theory? Explain.When did he begin to display this level?