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Bowlby's Attachment Style

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How was this attachment style born? Bowlby identified a clear and predictable sequence of three emotional reactions that typically occur subsequent to the separation of an infant from its primary caregiver as explained by Levy & Blatt (1999). First emotional reaction he identified is protest that involves crying, active searching, and resistance to others soothing efforts. Followed by despair and then detachment (Levy & Blatt 1999). Differences occur in the degree to which infant-mother relationships are characterized by experiences of security (Levy & Blatt 1999). Some mothers are slow in response to their infant cries. The infants of these mothers cry more often and explore less than securely attachment infants (Levy & Blatt 1999). Many infants eventually try to avoid mothers who previously had frequently rejected them or turn deaf hears to their cry. This establishes the avoidant attachment in kids (Levy & Blatt 1999). The continuity of avoidance of kids transmitting into adulthood is rooted in the nature of concepts of “self and others” as well as “interpersonal expectations” created by the kids (as explained by Levy & Blatt 1999). “The internal working model of the interaction between self and other guides subsequent interpersonal relationships” (Levy & Blatt …show more content…

Anisworth developed a technique called the “strange situation” (Levy & Blatt 1999). Through this, Ainsworth was able to categorize infants with considerable reliability into three distinct groups (Secure, avoidant and anxious-ambivalent) based on their reunion behaviour with their mothers after their brief separation. She explains that the avoidant is characterized by a quiet distance in the mother’s presence, acting unaware of the mother’s departure, and avoiding the mother upon reunion (Levy & Blatt

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