Digital Technology Has Made Being An Adolescence

Attachment relationships between child and parent is differentiated based on two categories, secure and insecure, (Quan, Bureau, Yurkowski, Moss & Pallanca, 2013). Insecure stage also have been divided into avoidant, resistant and disorganized (Holmes, 2001).

In addition, according to (Del Giudice & Belsky, 2010), parents have a profound effect on children; potentially generating different patterns of attachment (Barthlomew & Horowitz, 1991). The types of attachment includes secure attachment, which is thought to result from a positive and affirming bond with one’s primary caregiver and to result in a tendency towards

Having a secure bond of attachment to another person is regarded as a foundation for successful social and emotional development. “It has been observed that children with secure attachments are more socially competent than those with insecure attachment” (Neaum. S. 2010). By the child having formed secured relationships it enables them to engage with the world with a sense of confidence and self-esteem. children who have secure attachments are also known to show more co-operative behaviour.

The formation of attachment begins at birth with the child forming some type or form of attachment with their parents or primary caregiver. Hopefully, the child is able to form a proper or secure attachment with their parent or primary caregivers because the attachment formed between the parents or primary caregiver acts the foundation for how well the child will be able to form attachments with others outside the immediate family (Gullone, Ollendick, King,2006).This is because the type or level of attachment the child was able to form with his or her parent generally predicts the type or level of attachment the child will form with others outside their intermediate family. However, as the individual interacts with the outside world more and

Scientist wanted to know how adolescents function and see if there is any similarity with one another. Those with secure attachment relationship scored high on emotional intelligence and protective resources (Thompson, 2008). The purpose of having an attachment relationship is for the adolescents to deal with emotions and social relationships in general. With no attachment it becomes more complicated for the adolescents to process and handle their problems. The adolescents were tested to see what kind of attachment style they have and where their emotional intelligence (Petrides, Sangareau, Furnham, & Frederickson,

There are three types of insecure attachment; Dismissing/avoidant attachment- an insecure attachment category, associated with experiences of rejection, Preoccupied/ ambivalent attachment- an insecure attachment category, this category is associated being overly tuned to their experiences due to parent’s inconsistency in discipline and shows of affection. And Anxious/ Fearful attachment- another insecure category associated with extreme fear usually related to a parent’s death (Santrock 2010) & (McNally, Palfai, Levine and Moore 2003). Over the past decade many researchers have studied the role of secure and insecure attachments. It is believed that secure attachments to parents in adolescent’s leads to higher self-esteem and social adjustments in adulthood, securely attached adolescents have a lower chance of being involved in problem behaviours and drug and alcohol abuse as they get older, where insecure attachments lead to an increase in depression and problem behaviours (Santrock). Studies have shown that individuals with different attachments viewed themselves and others in either positive or negative way. Secure individuals view themselves as relatively unstressed (positive) and others as supportive (positive), Insecure/fearful individuals view themselves as distressed (negative) and others as supportive (positive) and insecure/ dismissive, preoccupied

Attachment style is a profound effect not only on our emotional development, but also upon the health of our relationships. A child forms a strong emotional bond with caregivers during childhood with lifelong consequences. It is important to be aware of attachment during infancy and early childhood in order to raise secure, independent and empathetic children. A secure, trusting attachment to parents during childhood forms the basis for secure relationships and independence as adults. It affects everything from our partner selection to how well our relationships progress to, sadly, how they end. That is why recognizing our attachment pattern can help us understand our strengths and vulnerabilities in a relationship. An attachment pattern is

As a whole, attachment theory investigates the process in which “children form ties to caregivers that vary in terms of the security of the bond” (Kerns, Tomich, Aspelmeier, Contreras 2000, p. 614). Better bonds between parents and children lead to better attachment of the child to the parent. If a child is attached well, they will “…use the primary caregiver as a secure base from which to explore [their environment] and, when necessary, as a haven of safety and a source of comfort (5)” (Benoit 2004, p. 542). Parents need to be available to children as a source of security, but at the same time let their children develop independence to explore their surroundings and make choices for themselves.

A high percentage of children fall into the securely attached category; from their positive experiences, they can be known to form confident relationships with adults and peers which will consequently also develop a positive self-image which stands them in good stead in coping with cognitive tasks like those which are encountered in school or in play. The insecurely attachment groups do not have the same advantage, their relationships are put in jeopardy, their life is not as soundly based like the securely attached group. There is a small percentage, which falls in to the disorganised group, which are known to be at high risk for developing psychopathology in later life. Attachment is an important process for a child as it builds a child’s, physical, emotional and psychological development which all depends on the attachments, which are formed from parents or adult caregivers. Attachment is the basis for this process, by influencing a child’s understanding of themselves, the world and also the people in

Styles of Attachment. Adult attachment is typically understood by use of a two-dimensional model that can be sorted into four quadrants: secure, dismissive, preoccupied, and fearful. (Unger & De Luca, 2014) Secure attachment is perceived as the ideal attachment orientation, resulting in low levels of both anxiety and avoidance, suggesting that the individual believes they are worthy of love, are trusting of others, and have a sense of relational competence. (Muller, Gragtmans, & Baker, 2008) The other 75% of the possible attachment orientations are labeled as “insecure,” implying a lack of availability of the individual’s caregivers in early infancy and either high in anxiety or avoidance. Within insecure attachment, measures suggest three

As of the twenty-first century, a growing trend in the usage of technology in daily life activities has become more apparent. Our increasing appetite for speed and convenience has propelled us a hundred years closer to the stars. Technology as a whole has opened up countless opportunities for social advancement and innovations, but at the same time created a void that swallowed many of its “followers”. Danah Boyd’s viewpoint in “Whether it’s bikes or bytes, teens are teens,” illustrates an opinion that rejects the idea of parents shrouding their children from the internet in attempt to retain their innocence. Wholeheartedly agreeing with Boyd, my experiences in life have persuaded me to believe that allowing a child to formulate their own personal

According to Newman and Newman (2015), attachment is the process through which people develop specific, emotional bonds with others. There are five different stages in the development of attachment. There are four patterns of attachment: secure attachment, anxious-avoidant attachment, anxious-resistant attachment, and disorganized attachment. Secure attachment is the most positive of all three patterns in which it provides a child with healthy self-awareness and trust. Disorganized and avoidant attachment is where the child’s needs for safety and understanding are not met. This can often lead to difficult learning and relationships and an inadequate attachment relationship with the caregiver (Malekpour, 2007). Attachment is a key factor in

In Essentials of Psychology, attachment is a term that is defined as the intense emotional connection shared between a child and their predominant caretaker. Attachment can be classified into two different types: secure or insecure attachment. If the bond shared between both the the predominant caregiver and child is secure, then the child believes that they are worthy of the love they receive and they are able to trust their caregivers as a result. On the other hand, if the bond formed is an insecure attachment, then the child feels as though they do not deserve the love they are be given and they can’t trust anyone.

Attachment theory is based on John Bowlby’s belief that humans are inclined to connect with others affectionately and use these connections as a safe place in time of stress or trouble (Sable, 2008). These attachments are primarily formed at birth with the primary caregiver, but can Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, pioneers in the theory suggest that the theory continues throughout the lifespan. Ainsworth suggests in the “Strange situation” that there are three attachment styles, namely secure, insecure ambivalent/resistant, and insecure avoidant (Sable, 2008).

Today’s abundance of digital technology is corrupting our youth. Digital technology is preventing the full development of cognitive, social and communication skills in children and adolescents. Electronic devices are introduced to babies and toddlers. Adolescents are glued to their smartphones and tablets. Games and social media have become the primary concern of adolescents and teenagers to the exclusion of real social relationships. Parents often do not intervene and are grateful that their children are being entertained and supposedly not getting into to trouble by engaging with their electronic devices. Research conducted on the internet by adolescents is often haphazard and sloppy. Digital technology which has many positive uses is being misused by the younger generation both academically and socially. The misuse and overuse of technology is causing basic developmental problems in terms of social interaction, cognitive development, attention spans, and emotional stability. This growing trend is being addressed in California legislation, which will be discussed at the end of the essay.