Attachment, Empathy And Cognitive Load Affect Femal College Students’s Response To Baby Crying

Baby crying has a dual role,which may trigger adult care behavior,but also may induce adult abuse.This study explored the mechanism of adult response to infant crying.Two studies were conducted:Experiment 1 explored the effects of trait attachment,empathy and cognitive load on female college students’ response to infant crying.462 intimate relationship experience scales and 445 valid questionnaires were distributed to female college students.22 anxious attachment,18 avoidance attachment and 42 safety attachment groups were selected.The first two groups were combined into unsafe attachment group.A total of 82 subjects were screened out.The two groups were asked to complete the Emotional Response Questionnaire,Empathy Questionnaire and Behavioral Response Questionnaire after listening to infants crying under high and low cognitive load tasks.The results showed that as far as empathic attention and care behavior was concerned,safe attachment was higher than unsafe attachment,and low cognitive load was higher than high cognitive load;compared with safe attachment,unsafe attachment had less empathic attention and care behavior under high cognitive load;as far as personal pain and neglect were concerned,safe attachment was lower than unsafe attachment,and low cognitive load was higher than high cognitive load.Safe attachment and unsafe attachment have more personal pain and neglect behavior under high cognitive load.The interaction between attachment type and cognitive load affects care behavior through empathic attention and neglect behavior through personal pain.The second experiment explored the effects of state attachment,empathy and cognitive load on female college students’ response to infant crying.Fifty-nine female college students were randomly recruited and assigned to 32 in the startup group and 27 in the control group.The startup group used safety attachment startup materials and effect test materials to start safety attachment.The two groups were asked to complete the Emotional Response Questionnaire,Empathy Questionnaire and Behavioral Response Questionnaire after listening to infants crying under high and low cognitive load tasks.The results showed that in terms of empathic attention and care behavior,the start group was higher than the control group,and the low cognitive load was higher than the high cognitive load;compared with the start group,the control group had less empathic attention and care behavior under the high cognitive load;in terms of personal pain and neglect behavior,the start group was lower than the control group,and the low cognitive load was higher than the high cognitive load,compared with the start group,the control group was higher.There are more personal distress and neglect behaviors under cognitive load.The interaction between state attachment and cognitive load affects care behavior through empathic attention and neglect behavior through personal pain.Conclusion:(1)Under the conditions of unsafe attachment,low cognitive load and high cognitive load,women have more sympathetic attention and caring behavior to crying infants,less personal pain and neglect behavior.There is interaction between cognitive load and attachment type.For safe attachment women,cognitive load does not affect their response to infant crying;for non-safe attachment women,high cognitive load will reduce their empathy and care behavior for infants,increase personal pain and neglect behavior.(2)The interaction between attachment type and cognitive load affects care behavior through empathic attention and neglect behavior through personal pain.(3)Starting safe attachment can improve empathic concern and care behavior,reduce personal pain and neglect behavior.State attachment and cognitive load interact with adult response,and predict care behavior through empathic attention and neglect behavior through personal pain.To sum up,attachment type(trait / state attachment),cognitive load and empathy all affect female college students’ response to infant crying.