Essay on Basic Concepts in Attachment Theory

The attachment style that an individual exhibits as an infant can affect their adult romantic relationships. An attachment pattern is established in early childhood attachments and continues to function as a working model for relationships in adulthood. This model of attachment influences how each of us reacts to our needs and how we go about getting them met. The ability to recognize one 's attachment can help someone to understand their strengths and vulnerabilities in a relationship.

The term ‘attachment’ is used by psychologists who study the child’s early relationships. An attachment is a unique emotional bond normal between a child and an adult. A theorist called John Bowlby (1970-90) had a relation to the attachment theory. In 1950s John identified that when children and

Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space (Bowlby, 1969). Likewise, attachment theory is a psychological model that seeks to illustrate the dynamics of both long term and short- term interpersonal relationships (Waters, E.; Corcoran, D.; Anafarta, M. 2005). Additionally, attachment theory address how people respond within relationships when hurt, separated from loved ones, or when they perceive a threat (Waters et al., 2005). Attachment theory is the combined work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth (Bretherton, I. 1992, p. 1). The theory predominantly draws on the ideas from doctrines such as, ethology, cybernetics, information processing and developmental psychology (Bretherton, I. 1992, p. 1). It is considered that attachment theory has revolutionized the way society thinks about the relationship between the mother and her child and the importance of

This qualitative research was conducted to ascertain if the attachment style a person has as an adult is created or influenced by his/her interactions with early childhood experiences. The research was carried out by means of a thematic analysis of an interview of a married middle-aged couple. The interviews bought the themes of Work, Childhood and Relationships to the foreground and these were analysed to establish if there is a connection in our childhood attachments and those we make as adults. It can be seen that there are similarities to the attachment types of infants compared to those that

Attachment theory was originally proposed by Bowlby (1969) as an explanation of interpersonal relationships, with particular focus in his work on the parent-child relationships which are formed in early childhood. He noted that this was an evolutionary need within us as humans to form close attachments to improve our rate of survival (Bowlby, 1969). He later also theorized that these attachment styles would persist throughout life into adulthood (Bowlby, 1988). Further work on attachment theory by Bartholomew & Horowitz (1991) expanded on attachment styles and looked at the continuation of attachment style into adulthood. Using interviews with participants and the participants close friends they found evidence for four types of adult attachment styles: Secure, Preoccupied, Dismissing and Fearful (Bartholomew & Horowitz 1991). Further support for adult attachments styles is from Mikulincer & Shaver (2004) showing that attachments styles persist from childhood into adulthood demonstrating bowlby 's later hypothesis

Fraley (2002) completed a meta analysis of studies concerning attachment in order to investigate the level of attachment pattern’s continuity throughout life. The study indicated that there was a certain stability of the attachment pattern, and that the stability is independent of time. Even though it is theorized that a secure pattern will be likely to stay unchanged, it is still indicated that experiences such as bad relationships will be able to change the attachment pattern (Fraley,

In 1958, the Attachment theory came into existence. It was developed by John Bowlby on the notion that the quality of the parent -child relationship was essential for development and mental health (Howe, 2011, pg, 7). This thinking was in the context of distress shown by children when separated from their parents or when in unfamiliar surroundings. While having credit for the emergence of the attachment theory, Bowlby subsequently carried out a lot of research work with Mary Ainsworth concluding that children view their attachment figures as both a ?safe haven? to return to for comfort and protection and also a ?secure base? from which to explore their environment. The birth of children gives rise to the need to feel loved and wanted by caregivers, (Maclean and Harrison,2015 pg, 103), the absence of which might result in a range of behaviors to either

Attachment-based relationships stem from attachment behaviour, which is conceived as any form of behaviour that results in a person attempting, or retaining proximity to some other differentiated and preferred individual, who is usually perceived as stronger or wiser (Ainsworth, 1985). These relationships have a strong connection with the development, functioning, and well-being across the lifespan, in both parent-child relationships, and adult relationships. This essay sets out to display and prove the positive relationship between secure attachment relationships and positive development, well-being, and functioning, across the lifespan.

Attachment theory is the concept of the development, of a psychological and emotional bond, that creates a secure or insecure attachment to a caregiver. Attachment bonds are very important, in regards to personal development. Formulated by John Bowlby in the sixties, he discovered that a child’s development depends significantly, on the strong attachment they form with a caregiver. Functions of Bowlby’s attachment

A psychological perspective of attachment is a term to describe a reciprocal emotional tie that develops over time. There are many developmental theories relating themselves to attachment and deprivation and many arguments over the nature-nurture debate. However, the name that comes to the forefront of most minds when speaking of this topic is

‘Attachment’ is a lasting secure and positive feeling that bonds one person to another, one of the strongest forms of attachment is thought to develop between a mother and child. Many psychologist, sociologist, physicians and psychoanalysts have sought to explore the fundamental nature of attachment and how it had evolved. Within this essay I shall examine

Family climate appears to play an important role in early childhood attachment and bonding—particularly in the formation and establishment of styles of attachment that lead to lifelong emotional and relational functioning (Smith, 2009). Once a baby is brought into the world, it is solely dependent on a parental figure for existence. Therefore, when developing into an adult, it is vital that an infant gets the attention and nurture needed in order to flourish into their own person. Children construct a scheme for intimate relationships based on their parents’ relationship, as they experienced and understood it (Davies, Harold, Goeke-Morey & Cummings, 2002; Grych & Fincham, 2001; Reese- Weber & Hesson-McInnis, 2008). Individuals typically learn from observation, therefore witnessing the interaction of an adult figure plays a major role in their developmental knowledge on adult forms of attachment in all relationships. The lack of attachment as a child could alter an individual's attachment style as an adult through intimacy and relationships.

Our earliest relationships in life can be deeply formative in shaping our development. Created by John Bowlby, attachment theory relates the importance of attachment in regards to personal development. According to Bowlby, attachment is the leading factor in our ability to form and maintain relationships as adults (Levy 2012, pg. 157). As human beings, we need to feel as if we belong (Cherry, 2016). We find this belongingness in our relationships and attachments. However, we differ in our ability to form such relationships. Some people may find creating relationships with people to be a fairly simple while others find relationships to be difficult or even anxiety producing. Though we each feel a need to belong, we differ in this ability. Some people struggle in relationships and other find anything relating to relationships to be simple. These differences in how we maintain and create relationships may be due to our early life experiences. Research on attachment theory suggests that our early-life relationships may be responsible, at least in part, for these differences in adult relationships (Fraley, 2010). Data proves that these different attachment styles have different effects on how an individual deals with relationships. Previous research has dialed in on different

Everyone has become attached to another person at some point in their lifetime. This attachment begins when the fetus is in the mother’s womb or during early childhood after birth. The first person we are attached to often our parents or other caregivers. In the textbook, attachment is defined as “emotional link that forms between a child and a caregiver, it is what binds people together over a period of time.” When a parent exhibits adaptive parental behavior, consistently responding to the needs of the child or simply smiling, it develops a sense of contentment and trust. It makes the child more likely to open up and develop new relationships with others in the future and become attached, which often carries out into adulthood. These individuals

Already since the 1960’s, medical research has shown the importance of the early bonds created by parents and their children. These theories on attachment have demonstrated the effect of attachment with social and emotional development and its direct relationship with future behavioral issues. Numerous studies have shown the existing links between early security and insecurity in the early relationships formed by the child, and future outcomes in his teenage and adult behaviors. Nonetheless, most of these studies have not considered the effects of early attachment between the child and the individual parent. That is, there are very few studies which have concentrated their research in the mother-child interaction, and father-child interaction. Still, these studies have shown that children’s attachment at an early age demonstrate good emotional health (as related to attachment to the mother), and behavior regulation (when considering attachment to the father). Generally though, the final results have been similar to those shown when the studies considered attachment to both parents.