Bowlby: The Four Stages Of Attachment

Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson (1964) also formulated a theory of attachment based on their longitudinal study of 60 babies in Glasgow looking at the gradual development of attachments; they visited them monthly for the first year of their lives and returned again at 18 months. (Bailey et al. 2008). Similar to Bowlby’s research, Schaffer and Emerson also formulated four key stages of attachment and produced

What is the definition of attachment? If you look it up in a dictionary it explains that it is ‘an emotional bond between an infant or toddler and primary caregiver, a strong bond being vital for the child’s normal behavioural and social development’. That strong bond between infant and caregiver is believed to happen between the ages of 6-8 months although Bowlby (1958) suggests that the infants are born into this world pre-programmed to form attachments, they have innate behaviours in the way of crying, smiling, crawling and cooing which will stimulate attention and comforting responses from the caregivers. These behaviours are called social releasers. Kagan et al (1978)

So, in talking about attachment bonds, how are attachments developed in the first place? Starting from birth, infants are essentially unattached emotionally to any significant figure and show no social discriminatory responses to anyone specific. As the baby grows and develops, they will enter the second phase in which they can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces, voices, and smells. At this point, they are not completely attached to any one individual, despite their

Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)

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.

Charles Manson’s name will forever be associated with murder. However, “Manson did not physically kill anyone. Although he had gone with six Family members on the second night to the LaBianca's home, he had not used a weapon, “instead he had successfully manipulated his followers to commit the most terrible slaughter” (Bannerman, 2017 p.1). The motivation of these offenders, known as disciple killers is to earn respect and gain attention from their charismatic leaders within in their cult. It is critical for researchers to study disciple mass murders due to severe nature of the crime and due to its current lack of research.

Bowlby stated attachment was not shaped solely from the child’s acceptance, but the behaviour of another significant other, usually the mother or caregiver who had a crucial role in the child’s growth. The growth and development of the child is reliant on four stages of process from birth, Bowlby stated these stages were where the child would bind to the mother or vice versa, he proposed one to two months old in which the infant shows attachment to the mother by crying, sucking. The second stage up to six months old the child has the focus on a mother figures and attaches to the one he or she has more contact with. The third stage up to aged two named the secure base, where the child has its focus on the where the main caregiver is when their welfare is under threat. The stage up over the age of two is concerned on the child learning a behaviour and how this affects the relationship with their mothers or attachments, this will be the grounding for subsequent relationships

By definition, “attachment is the emotional bond between an infant and the primary caregiver (Romero; Perry).” During the first eight months of life, an infant will typically form an emotional attachment to a caregiver. The kind of attachment is based on the nurture and care the infant receives. The type of attachment between an infant and a caregiver can help determine the child’s personality and development (Romero).

The first theory I was looking at was Bowlby attachment theory. The key features in Bowlby theory is that Bowlby viewed the first five years of a child’s life to be the critical period for attachment as Bowlby believed if attachment wasn’t made in the first 5 years of a child’s life then the children wouldn’t be able to have good relationships in later life. Another key feature is that Bowlby believed the mother was always the one with the primary bond with the child and if any separation from mother and child would affect the child in later life. Bowlby attachment theory relates to my child Bonnie as she does have a good bond with her mum. This links back to what Bowlby said about the mother being the one with the primary bond with the child.

As humans, building relationships between others is a form of connecting and communicating. It is a social situation that is experienced every day through the course of a lifetime. The initial relationship that is made is between the mother and the child. This bond that connects two people is known to be called attachment. The theory of attachment begins at birth, and from that, continuing on to other relationships in family, friends, and romance. Attachment is taught through social experiences, however the relationship with the mother and her temperament are the key factors in shaping the infants attachment type, which

Attachment is what will prepare my child to survive in the real world. Pre-Attachment Phase is the first phase from birth to 3 months old. These are when the babies are the most vulnerable and need us the most. My favorite things with infants are the big smiles are on their chunky cheeks or the angel faces when they are sleeping. I will show them bright colors to enhance their visual development. When I smile and tickle their toes I want to see them grin from ear to ear. The second phase is known as Attachment in the Making, which is from 4 to 7 months old. I will spend much time as I can in the play pen. Toys and sounds are essential at this point. I can then teach them to share toys and not need me all the time. It is very important I have

Attachments are formed in the very earliest months and years of life. These have a significant influence on emotional development as well as providing a template for the child as he or she grows into adulthood.

Attachments are intrinsic to a child’s development both in the short term and for the duration of their lives. Infants have an innate need to develop an attachment with their mother to ensure their survival and are equipped with evolutionary characteristics called social releasers; physical social releasers such as large eyes and a small chin are found to be more aesthetically pleasing to the parents so they are more likely to care for them and behavioural social releasers for example, crying; very young infants typically only cry if they 're hungry, cold or in pain (Gross 2015 p535) this alerts the parents to an infants immediate need. At around 7 or 8 months of age children begin to make specific attachments for reasons other than survival, children display proximity maintaining behaviour normally with the mother,

Attachment is the foundation for a strong relationship between caregivers and children. Children usually become attached to the person who cares for them most often during their first year of life. There is secure and insecure attachment which can affect a child and their future.

Attachment theory is a concept that explores the importance of attachment in respect to direct development. “It is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space” (Bowlby, 1969; McLeod, 2009). It is the relationship that develops within the first year of the infant’s life between them and their caregiver. The theory also relates to the quality of the attachment that is shown in the behavior of the infant (Rieser-Danner, 2016). Attachment theory shows that infants need a close nurturing relationship with their caregiver in order to have a healthy relationship. Lack of response from the caregiver