Attachment and Bonding as Important Developmental Processes Essay

Attachment is described as an "affectionate reciprocal relationship between an individual and another individual." Much psychological research has been carried out into the types of attachments that infants form with their caregivers, and the results gained from these studies show how early attachments can affect children whether positively or negatively.

Attachment is the bond that links humans to vital people in their lives. This bond begins to develop early on in life. According to Berk (2012), infants can become attached to regular people in their lives before the second half of their first year of life. These early attachments are normally to the primary caregivers of the infant.

The infant-caregiver relationship is vastly important to the proper and healthy development of an infant and throughout the duration of the infant’s life. However, the types of relationships attained through attachments as well as socialization goals vary across cultures (Gross, 2011).Secure infant attachments are however, extremely important to overall healthy psychosocial development and prosocial behavior and can be analyzed through various important and contributing theories established by Erik Erikson, John Bowlby, and Mary Ainsworth.

Researchers have replicated Ainworths and Wittig’s (1969) Strange Situation experiment, using the results for further research. Kochanski (2001) investigated development in children with differing attachments through a longitudinal study. During ages 9 to 33 months, the bond between infant and caregiver clearly impacted on the infants’ emotional development. 54% of infants were initially found to have a secure attachment with their primary caregiver, and were very distressed during separation. However, at 33 months emotions were calmer, and became less angry. Conversely, 46% of the infants were described as insecurely attached. Both resistant and avoidant were most fearful and least joyful. Further, negative emotions increased by age 33 months. 2% of infants where unclassifiable as they became increasingly angry as more negative emotions developed.

What is Attachment?:- “Attachment is the close bond between two people which endures over time and leads to certain behaviors such as proximity seeking, clinging and distress on separation, These behaviors serve the function of protecting an infant”

The importance of human interaction from caregivers to infants has straight out some detailed evidence which demonstrates that from time of birth, human interaction is vital for a healthy psychological development. Absorbing all social interaction is the natural instinct for an infant. When there is a safe environment secure attachment is on and social interaction needs are met. During that period of life, human interaction between caregivers and infant is imperative for that infant’s psychological development pattern. That is essential for an infant survival. Social interaction integrates leverage skills and emotional attachment. If there is a lack in that phase, it can cause failure to attach as well as adaptive behaviors leading to developmental obstructions.

Attachment is “a social and emotional bond between infant and carer that spans both time and space.” (Martin, Carlson & Buskist, 2010). How do we develop attachment? Why is attachment important? These are the type of questions this essay with answer while also using psychological theory and experiments.

Parents play many significant roles in their child’s life, including teacher or guidance, playmate, disciplinarian, caregiver, and attachment figure (Benoit, 2004). However, the most important role for parents is as an attachment figure, which can predict the child’s later social and emotional outcome. The first six months, therefore, is the most crucial period for parents and infants to develop this connection. Many people often have mistaken attachment with bonding. Bonding is referring to physical contact, and in this case depended on skin-to-skin contact child during early infant years. This concept of bonding is not the same with the attachment theory, however, providing physical contact when an infant cry until they are calm may help with forming a secure base for a child. According to Diane Benoit, the attachment is where the child uses its caregiver as a secure base from which to explore and, when necessary, as a haven of safety and a source of comfort (Benoit, 2004).

Attachment refers to the specific, strong, long-term binds in human interpersonal relationship. When getting along with whom one form attachment with, one would feel secure and comforted. Though some said that the attachment was firstly formed in pregnancy, the main formation of attachment is mostly developed in infancy and early childhood (less than 5 years old). In the second half of the first year, infant would start to recognize and become attached to the familiar caregiver who always responds to their needs. When they feel insecure or alarmed, the attachment would be served as the behavioral stimulation which directs them to turn to the caregivers for protection and

Attachment is a close emotional bond between two people. Early childhood attachment is very important to how a kid man turn out in the end. There are many advantages and disadvantages to the way a kid interacts or attaches with it’s parents. An example is, they have someone they can always trust. In this world live we live in it can be hard to find someone you can truly trust. If you have that relationship with your parents from the beginning you don’t have to search for that.

Infants progress if their basic needs are continually met like hunger and comfort. Repetition by caregivers eventually leads to trust as the child learns that their needs will be fulfilled and as a result they will exhibit healthy behaviors. Outward signs and expressions of trust that infants show may include: positive attitudes, sharing, comfortable with eye contact as well as attachment and relationship building with others especially their caregivers (Erikson Handout, 2017). In addition to building trust, the attachment theory believes that early relationships between infants and caregivers are important because they have long term consequences for child development (Lefkovics, Baji & Rigo, 2014). Furthermore, studies have found that positive infant-mother interactions are correlated to positive health outcomes (Johnson, 2013). Parents can develop a secure attachment bond by being sensitive to their children’s needs and by breastfeeding or using the kangaroo hold. Mutual engagement can also help relieve stress and create a reciprocity between infants and their caregivers (Helpguide.org, 2013). Thus, cultures who regularly practice baby wearing and breastfeeding may be more attached to their children which can be especially important during infancy. Ultimately, parent interactions are a factor in whether a child is successful at this

I have learned that in this day and age bonding is an important step for babies and children to grow properly. Bonding is the process where parents and child decide that they are special to each other. A strong bond is the groundwork for later growth or attachment. It has been said that babies become attached to family members or friends who rarely, if ever, feed them. Toddlers that sleep alone and are often separated from their parents during the day sometimes develop a strong attachment to a stuffed animal or blanket, which is perfectly natural. It is also just as important for children to bond with their father as well as their mother. In the present day more fathers a stepping up to the plate and taking more responsibilities with

As a result, they found the importance of providing an infant with physical affection, security and comfortableness during the early stages of development enhances their biological processes to develop socially and emotionally; and the significance of animals’ research to provide a better understanding of developing social

Attachment theory is an area of psychology that describes the nature of emotional attachment between humans. It begins with the our attachment as a child with our parents. The nature of this attachment, and how well it’s prod casted and cared for, determines the way we become attached to our romantic partners later in life. Attachment theory had begun in the 1950's. The way our attachments are with our relationships have a good reasoning as to why many have failed or have succeeded and have ended or started throughout our lives.

Scientists say that bonding provides babies with the first model for intimate relationships and foster a sense of security as well as self-esteem. For babies, bonding contributes to a lot to their growth and development in all aspects of life. If deprived of this essential attachment, scientists suspect babies may suffer from despair.