Evaluate John Bowlby's Theory Of Attachment

Perhaps the most influential explanation of attachment was presented by John Bowlby who began developing his ideas in the 1940s. Bowlby was commissioned by the World Health Organisation to investigate whether young children were likely to be harmed if they are separated from their mothers in the early years. (Hayes, 1996). Bowlby (1951) reported that infants possesses an innate need to attach to one main attachment figure (this was usually the mother). According to Hayes (1996), this is a special relationship which is qualitatively different from the relationship they form with any other kind of person. He described this as the process of monotropy; however, Bowlby did not deny that babies formed lots of attachments. (Bailey et al. 2008).

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, according to Emde (1982) is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another, across time and space. John Bowlby, and Evolutionist, believed that attachment was pre-programmed. In order for us to survive as a species, we needed to attach to a significant other; that its innate in us to single out a few specific individuals around us and attach to them, an so providing a survival advantage. Bowlby rationalised that the attachment between a mother and infant was unlike any other bond; very unlike the bond an infant would develop with another human. He coined it ‘Monotrophy’.

“Attachment is the ability to form emotional bonds with other people”, it is unambiguous that Precious did not have that kind of emotional bond with her family (E.D. Hutchison, 2012. 441) John Bowlby who is considered the father of attachment theory. Attachment theory is a concerted work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. This theory focus on early childhood experiences and how well cared and in our world, may influence on how the child behaves from childhood to adult. The assumption of this theoretically perspective, focus on the relationship between the caregiver and the child and how it can affect the child’s behaviors and

Attachment theory “is one of the complex influences on children’s development and the emotional, behavioural and social difficulties” (Payne, 2016, 43). Another limitation is attachment focuses on the mother as being “the primary attachment figure, when in fact, a father or sibling can have the same types of attachment with the infant at the same time” (Lee, (n.d.)). Due to the critique of attachment theory, it is difficult to know whether or not attachment will affect the child even as an

John Bowlby was a psychoanalyst who felt that a child’s mental health and behavioral problems could be accredited to early childhood attachments. Bowlby’s evolutionary theory of attachments says that before children are born they are genetically pre-programmed to generate attachments with others. Infant’s behaviors such as crying, smiling or laughing stimulate responses from their caregiving adults. Bowlby suggests that the cause of attachment is not food/nutrition but they need for care and comfort. Typically the infant will only bond with one parent and form one primary attachment that will be the basis for all future attachments.

The theory of attachment was first proposed by a British psychoanalyst John Bowlby (1907-1990) who described it as a ‘lasting psychological connectedness between human beings’ (1988). According to psychologist Mary Anisworth attachment “may be defined as an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one-a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time: Attachment is a bond that develops between an infant and their main caregiver usually the mother. Researchers Bowlby, Anisworth, Main and Solomon suggested that this attachment between infant and caregiver may have influence throughout their lives.

Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal.

Attachment refers to an affectional bond; a bond which is exclusive to an individual and cannot be exchanged to another. A particularly important bond is the emotional one between an infant and its primary care giver. When it comes to attachment it is often said that it is either down to nature or nurture. Nature is the belief that it is genetic based whilst nurture believes it is our environment and experiences.

Attachment Theory, made known by John Bowlby, is a theory dissecting the behaviourisms of humans and animals with others and the reasoning behind them. Bowlby created three main types of attachment one may experience with another. The first type of attachment is secure attachment. This attachment entails that the mother and the child have a healthy emotional bond. For this to happen, the mother and or father comfort the baby by means of “bodily centric and verbal communication” (Boyd, 2013).

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 INTRODUCTION The relationship that we build in our lives at every stage of life are the building blocks for the development of personality and are also necessary for the growth and development of a child into an individual who can survive happily in this harsh world and face all challenges in his life. This relationships and attachment go hand in hand; attachment can be described as a strong bond or linkage established between two individuals not only with humans but also with animals or some objects. Attachment significantly influences a large capacity of an individual makeup as it helps one to maintain the relationship and it also teaches us the moral values, build up the self-esteem, also helps in increasing confidence level

John Bowlby (1907 - 1990) was a British developmental psychologist in the psychoanalytic tradition, notable for his pioneering work in attachment theory. The most famous and enduring work of John Bowlby was theorizing about attachment styles of infants with primary caretakers. He observed and generalized from his observations, and hence developed a scientific theory (attachment theory). In his view, attachment behaviour was an evolutionary survival strategy for protecting the infant from predators, and attachment theory reflects that. Mary Ainsworth, a student of Bowlby’s, further extended and tested his ideas.

An attachment is a strong, intimate, emotional connection between people that persists over time and across certain circumstances. It does not have to be mutual. Attachment is characterized by specific behaviours in children, such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when upset or threatened (Bowlby, 1969). John Bowlby was a psychoanalyst and he himself believed that mental health and behavioural problems could be attributed to early childhood. Bowlby was influenced by the work of Harry Harlow.

Many psychologists have come and gone, and many different theoretical orientations have been developed. With each orientation has come a new perspective on development, behaviour and mental processes. Some are similar, yet others could not be more contradictory. Attachment is one such theoretical orientation, developed by John Bowlby out of his dissatisfaction with other existing theories. Although Bowlby rejected psychoanalytical explanations for early infant bonds, the theory of attachment was influenced in part by the principles of psychoanalysis; in particular the observations by Ana Freud and Dorothy Burlingham of young children separated from