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Attachment In Early Life Essay

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Introduction Attachment is the emotional bond between a child and parent. This bond can shape the way in which the child's emotional and social development can phase out throughout it’s lifetime. Both attachment and temperament have shown robust associations with children’s peer functioning (Berlin et al,, 2008.) Early attachment within the child's life has an impact on the developing brain, which can result in lasting effects at a neuronal level (Schore, 1994.) Of course the importance of attachment does not cease right after a child s early life, however the focus of my essay is to be concentrated on the different theories and studies associated with early life attachment. I will also be discussing the four different types of attachment and …show more content…

There has also been a link connected between attachment and sensitivity which could lead to the explanation of further or lessened bonds between children and mothers. Infants whose mothers respond sensitively to their signals improve their chance of developing a secure relationship from 38 to 63 percent (Ijzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2004.) An example of acting sensitively towards ones child would be to respond constantly to their physical needs but also care for their emotional needs by spending time interacting and playing with …show more content…

I personally find early life attachment theories and studies to be extremely interesting, with a vast array of research and theories to follow, such as Bowlby and Berlin to only name two. As I stated earlier on in this assignment with reference to (Papalia et al., 1999), when a child is attached to an adult who nurtures them, they later on grow up to have a healthier and more emotionally stable state of mind. This furthers the statement in saying the developmental importance of early life attachment is key throughout the child’s lifetime.I hope I can explore this even further throughout my studies of

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1-Which of the following theories suggests that the mother becomes an attachment object because she reduces the baby’s primary drive of hunger: a) Psychoanalytic Theory b) Cognitive Developmental Theory c) Learning Theory d) Ethological Theory 2-One of the phases in early development of attachment, Attachment in the making, occurs during the ages: a) 7-24 months of age b) 0-2 months of age c) 24 months on d) 2-7 months of age 3-Which of the following refers to separation protest, wariness of strangers, and intentional communication: a) Preattachment b) Attachment in the making c) Clear-cut attachment d) Goal-corrected partnership 4-Which of the following classifications indicates a child who actively avoids and ignores parent on reunion with

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Attachment theory The strong emotional bonds are linked children and young people

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(Carpenter and Huffman, 2013 p.278) In her studies of infants, she placed the mother in a room with the child (securely attached), then introduced a stranger to the child(anxious/ambivalent), then the mother would leave the room leaving the stranger with the child(anxious/avoidant), then mother would return (disorganized/disoriented attachment). Observations of the child's reactions towards the mother and stranger in each of these segments were analyzed. From this, Ainsworth was able to conclude the bonding the child had toward their mother. The more attached the child, the more they responded to the mother coming and going, either by clinging, crying or following.

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Although we are studying theories, some of them appear to explain human behavior and personality with certain accuracy. John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth theories of attachment can also explain what happens to people when attachment to their parents or caregivers is healthy or potential problems that could occur due to detachments. They suggest that individuals raised with secure attachments to their primary caregivers help them to feel secure; moreover, these children appear to be more socially skilled and less likely to experience major emotional disturbances. However, failure to form healthy attachments, especially mother-child, could serve as a descriptive mechanism for many negative psychological outcomes later in the life of an individual,

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168 Words | 1 Pages

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

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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.

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With research, it has become apparent that there is a correspondence between mothers and children on the basis that attachment. Attachment depends on the reaction from mothers to her child’s emotional cues. (Feldman, 2012, Chapter

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Theories (Erikson & Attachment) According to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, trust vs. mistrust, occurs in the first year of life. Erikson believed that the caregiver’s response to the infant’s cries help them develop a sense of trust, when the caregiver responds right away to the infant’s distress of crying or fussing (Mooney, 2000). Erikson believed that in the earliest years of life, mainly during infancy, patterns of trust or mistrust are formed that control, or at least influence, a person’s actions or interactions for the rest of life (Erikson, 1950). Bowlby hypothesized that children are born with a predisposition to be attached to caregivers and that children will organize their behavior and thinking in order to maintain those relationships (Bettmann, 2006).

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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).

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This test observed patterns in the infants’ experiences of separation and reunion with their mother, and their reaction to a stranger, in order to evaluate the type of attachment relationship the infant shared with their mother (Ainsworth, 1978). Ainsworth found a significant consistency between the mothers’ interactive styles and the reactions of the infants. The results of this test led Ainsworth to classify the behaviours into three main categories. She identified the infants to have secure attachment, or one of two forms of insecure attachment, avoidant or ambivalent (Music,

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babies are Asocial in that many types of stimuli, both non-social and social, produce a favourable reaction such as a smile. • 6 weeks – 7 months – Indiscriminate Attachment – most babies respond equally to any caregiver and they get upset when the caregiver no longer interacts with them. From 3 months they will smile more at familiar faces and can be easily comforted by a regular care giver. • 7 -9 months - Specific attachment- babies will look to a particular person for security, comfort and protection, it will show fear of a stranger and unhappiness when separated from the special person. Some babies would show stranger fear and separation anxiety much more than

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4424 Words | 18 Pages

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) conducted a study in which they explored attachment using 60 infants. Based on research findings, Schaffer and Emerson (1964) established four distinct phases of attachment including: pre-attachment, indiscriminate, discriminate, and multiple attachment. Each stage is characterized by age and how that individual develops attachment to their particular caregiver. There has been a great amount of research to support the importance of healthy attachment. Some research that has been found indicates the earlier an individual can form an attachment to someone, the more beneficial it could be to their long-term development and the relationships that they form with others.

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785 Words | 4 Pages

A human baby is born with poorly developed sight and is unable to move. As a consequence to this he is vulnerable and is completely dependent on a carer for survival (Winston, 2003). To improve the chances of survival, the baby is born with pre-programmed and automatic behaviour which are prompted by environmental factors (Bergen, 2008). Bowlby theorised that when a young child feels distressed, frightened or confused, attachment behaviour is triggered and this serves to bring the child closer to their mother* who provides the desired comfort, care and protection (Bowlby,

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1810 Words | 8 Pages

The experiment was done in a room with a one way glass to observe the infant. Different situations were given to the infant to determine the infant’s attachment style, the mother of the infant would leave the room and the infant would be left with the experimenter or the experimenter would leave the room and leave the mother and infant alone. How the infant reacts to the situation is used to determine the attachment style of the infant. Infants with secure attachment style would be distressed every time the mother would leave, the infant avoids the stranger when the mother leaves and when the mother returns the infant becomes happier. Infants with ambivalent attachment attachment style get distressed whenever the mother leaves, and avoids the stranger when left alone.

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1137 Words | 5 Pages

Attachment in early life is a fundamental aspect of child development and the establishment of intimate and reciprocal relationships with caregivers. Shaffer & Kipp (2007) define attachment as ‘a close emotional relationship between two persons, characterized by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity’. Contrary to the original view of infant attachment as a ‘secondary drive’ of the dependency on caregivers for physiological needs, such as hunger; Bowlby (1969, 1973) proposed that all infants are born with an innate bias to form an attachment to a primary attachment figure to whom they can seek comfort, or a ‘secure base’ during stressful circumstances. It is proposed by Ainsworth (1967) that parental sensitivity is crucial to shaping the security and development of the initial infant-parent attachment relationship, however the phenomenon of attachment requires both infants and caregivers to contribute in the formation of the attachment bond. Ultimately, the quality of attachment in early life shapes both the social and emotional

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