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Theory of attachment development
Principles of attachment theory
Theory of attachment development
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Theory of attachment development
Principles of attachment theory
Theory of attachment development
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Attachment theory is an emotional bond formed between children and their primary caregivers through close interpersonal contact. Some patterns of children formed with the mother are pivotal to the social, emotional, and personality development of an individual. There are 3 distinct responses when a child is separated from their primary caregiver. One is protest, crying, active searching, and resistance to the comforting of others. Two is despair and blatant sadness.
Mary Rowlandson and her children were taken captive in 1676 during a war between the settlers and the Indians. Throughout her narrative she explains in detail what it was like living with the Indians for eleven weeks and how she adapted to their world. She wanted to document her journey as a Puritan to show what it was like to have the wrath of God upon you. Zitkala-Sa was brought up in a traditional Sioux manner and was expected to stay on the reservation as she grew up. However, compelling white men visited her reservation convincing children to come back to the land of red apples with them.
Ainsworth’s descriptions of attachment were found to be related to relationship development. Specifically, adults with avoidant tendencies tend to be relatively uninterested in romantic relationships, have a higher breakup rate than secure adults (Shaver & Brennan, 1992), and grieve less after a breakup (Simpson, 1990). Anxious adults are obsessed with their romantic partners and form extreme jealousy (Collins, 1996; Hazan & Shaver, 1987). Relationships with a partner who has an anxious attachment have a higher rate for breakups as well.
This research gives to wonder, are we doing harm when sending our young children to the sitter or school expecting them to act like they don't care when we leave? The other alternative? A bunch of crying, clinging children with separation anxieties being brought up in society. In the argument nurture vs. nature, both of these scientists have shown that nature needs nurture and that attachment is a product of
I can personally relate to this idea because my cognitive, emotional, and social development was influenced by the intimate attachments I had with my parents; the people who responded to my needs with love. When I was seven years old, I ran straight to my mother after I tripped over and broke my arm. My mother comforted me and took me to the doctors, positively responding to my needs. This meant that I felt protected when my parents were within close proximity and I could take risks and explore my environment, allowing me to learn how to relate to others in society (Drewery & Claiborne, 2014). The attachment theory is relevant to my life because the intimate attachments I had with my parents have meant that I have had little cognitive, emotional, and social developmental difficulties, turning me into a secure individual who can function positively into society (McLeod,
Cindy Hazan and Philip Shaver in 1980 were able to move the theory of attachment and children into developed theories of attachment on adulthood relationships. They found that even in cases of adults a strong attachment is still very important, Hazan and Shaver (1980) concluded that a balance intimacy with independence within a relationship is best, if the attachment was too strong both parties would be over dependent, and if the attachment was weak there would be a lack of intimacy with feeing of inadequacy (Hazan and Shaver, 1980). Many past findings have suggested that secure attachment is related to high levels of self-esteem; such is found evident in Wilkinson (2004) research about the role of parental and peer attachment in the psychological
And Ainsworth expanded on Bowlby’s theory to include infants and their ability to explore the world securely. Some of the characteristics of attachment theory are seeking shelter or help from the attachment when feeling threatened or vulnerable. (Bretherton, 1992, p.
The attachment theory of John Bowlby has had an enduring impact on our understanding of child development. This study of Bowlby’s attachment theory allows us to understand more thoroughly how society and culture in constructing child rearing practices have a profound impact not only on the child but on the entire learning life of that individual. Attachment theory provides us with a lifelong learning project that brings together deep psychological patterns. Knowing that Bowlby does not do justice to the social and cultural factors that impact on development. At the core of a critical adult learning theory it is necessary to imagine how the cultures and societies, in which we live, interact with and influence the ways in which people relate
Babies are born with an innate ability to learn and their brain to develop after birth. The neural pathways of a human’s brain are built based on their early experience in the world. A baby’s world is based on how they are treated by people in it therefore if the environment is scary then the baby will be reluctant to explore, as demonstrated n Bowlby’s and Ainsworth’s attachment theory. The brain and body become wired enough to understand what is safe and what should be feared. The birth to 3 years of a child’s life is a critical period for the brain during child development and any deprivation during this will result in persistent deficits in cognitive, emotional and even physical health.
In 1969, John Bowlby made the connection that formed relationships and attachments to caregivers contributes to future development and growth. The attachment theory focuses on relationship association between caregivers and their children. Children who established a foundation with a caregiver despite their biological relation, gain much needed support. Establishing support, encourages a child’s development. The comfort of safety, allows children to feel secure in taking risks (Groman, 2012).
Children who have a secure attachment to their father tend to have improved developmental outcomes in a variety of ways including having improved social abilities with their peers, having fewer problem behaviors, and the paternal effects on developing a greater level of emotional self-regulation are especially significant. In addition, having a secure father-child attachment relationship can help compensate for potentially harmful effects resulting from an insecure mother-child attachment relationship. A child who is securely attached to his or her father will explore freely while the he is present, typically engages with strangers, is often visibly upset when the parent departs, and is generally happy to see the parent return (McLeod, 2014).
One of the main theories in Developmental psychology is the attachment theory that was devised by Bowlby (1969) and was added to in 1973, by Mary Ainsworth. The attachment theory surrounds the bond between a primary care giver and a baby. They believe that attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space. In 1930 Bowlby worked as a psychiatrist in a children’s unit, where he treated many emotionally disturbed children, this lead him to consider the relationship between mother and child and the impact that could have on the child’s development. Bowlby believed that the attachment process was an all or nothing process and that you either were attached or were not attached.
Bowlby 's attachment theory had vast investigation done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the interactions between mother and child, specifically, the theme of an infant’s investigation of their surroundings and the separation from their mother. This essay will focus on Bowlby’s attachment theory and Mary Ainsworth’s experiments and findings, discussing their views on the development and importance of attachment in early life. John Bowlby’s primary interest was in the relationship between child and mother or primary caregiver. Bowlby suspected that the earliest relationships formed by children and their primary parent or care giver, have huge impacts on the child’s later life. From this, Bowlby developed the attachment theory.
Since the ‘50s, Bowlby worked alone and with distinguished colleagues such as psychoanalyst James Robertson, ethologist/zoologist Robert Hinde and psychologist Mary Ainsworth on several different studies. Bowlby suggested that due to the attachment between children and their carers, children suffer loss when they are separated. Bowlby’s study with the ethologist Robert Hinde, inspired the idea that certain attachment behaviours have evolved as a survival mechanism (Bergen, 2008). The core of the theory today is that the quality of close relationships affects personality, emotional and social development not only in childhood but throughout the life of the individual (Howe, 2001). This suggests that attachment theory is effectively a biological, psychological and social theory of human development.
It also provides support for the lifespan approach that attachment doesn't just affect an individual for a couple of years but that it could affect them for their entire life, therefore this suggest that it is important to try and ensure parents spend as much time with their children as possible to ensure a secure attachment. Although this evidence is in favour of Bowlby’s theory, the methodology was based on a self-report questionnaire including questions that try to investigate childhood attachments through the participant’s own childhood memories. (Add citation) These answers may exhibit social desirability bias to make the participant seem securely attached, when they are actually insecurely attached or vice versa. This may imply that