John Bowlby 's Influence On Children 's Development

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).

Bowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that “his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development” Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachment will help a child develop in all areas e.g. emotionally, physical and mentally. However if they did not form an attachment in the sensitive period, the child may have issues or problems in their cognitive, emotional and social development.

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

Bowlby believed that an attachment was formed between a child and their mother to increase the baby’s chances of survival, the chance of the mother passing on her genes to further generations is also increased due to this attachment because then the child will be able to grow up and have children of their own. Bowlby said that children are born with pre-programmes behaviours to gain our attention; this includes actions such as smiling and crying. Adults have the instinct to respond to these behaviours and so there is a mutual relationship, and the baby is able to be looked after and survive as when they cry or smile, someone pleases their needs. Bowlby believes that the baby forms a monotropic relationship with the main caregiver, this is usually the mother. The monotropic bond has to be formed within the first two years of the child being alive, others serious and irreparable damage will be done to the baby, this also includes if the bond is broken for a long period of time. If the bond is broken for a long period of time then they will have problems in adulthood, especially if the bond breaking has happened within the7ir first three years of life as they have not begun their lives in a stable environment with stable relationships and attachments. To Bowlby, he believes that the job of a mother figure for the first three years is to focus on the child and care for them. He believes that if a mother is working full time then this could have similar consequences for the child

Secure attachment is a theory viewed by most as an important part of an individual development with an emphasis on early childhood. Most individuals would say that secure attachment is indeed very important for early childhood development and should be emphasized to help them grow in a secure environment which may promote self confidence and emotional stability during adulthood. Bowlby’s theory of attachment was developed to explain how children needed secure attachment during early childhood, after observing children suffering from emotional instability because they were separated from their parents’ security and protection as opposed to those children who were raised in a secure and comfortable environment. Later

John Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attachment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infant interactions specifically regarding the theme of an infant’s exploration of their surrounding and the separation from their mother in an experiment called the strange situation. Ainsworth defined the four attachment styles: secure,

The theory of attachment was originally developed by John Bowlby (1907 – 1990), a British psychoanalyst. Bowlby’s explanation of attachment hints that children come into the world biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with other, because this will avail them to survive. According to Bowlby, crying, clinging and searching our behaviours displayed by infants as a result of separation from their primary caregiver and a response to re-establish proximity. Bowlby proposed the idea of monotropy, this is when an effective emotional bond is formed between an infant and one particular individual. Bowlby suggested that there is a critical period for attachment to be formed between an infant and caregiver. This means that if an attachment is not formed priority to the first two years of infancy it would not be possible to form an attachment after this period. Thus meaning that the child will suffer irreversible long-term consequences as a result of maternal deprivation. Bowlby used the term maternal deprivation to refer to the

Attachment theory is the work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth joined together. “Ainsworth worked with Bowlby, extending his ideas by looking at different types of atatchments as well as considering issues such as sensitive parenting”. Bowlby proposed the theory of attachment in a series of publications from the 1940 to the 1980s. “Attachment theory is rooted in the ethological notion that a newborn child is biologically programmed to seek proximity with caregivers, and this proximity-seeking behavior is naturally-selected”

Attachment theory concentrates on the relationships between parents and children or parents and primary caregivers. According John Bowlby, the author of attachment theory, attachment is inborn and is as essential for survival as food, water, and air; it is an emotional, object specific relationship that develops towards a primary caregiver (Bowlby, 1969). Through series of experiments Bowlby explained the nature and the role of physical proximity of a child to a caregiver as a secure base for exploration of the world (Bowlby, 1969). He concluded that it is essential for a child’s healthy development to have at least one caregiver who takes on a role of that secure base, which Bowlby also referred to as secure haven (Bowlby, 1969). Bowlby identified three main stages of the development of an attachment. During each of the stages a child exhibits different types of proximity-seeking behaviors (Bowlby, 1969). In turn, a parent responds to those behaviors and the quality of those responses contribute into the development of internal working models in a child (Bowlby, 1969). As defined by Bowlby (1969), internal working model is a dynamic process that enables a child to predict parental responses in times of distress. The critical period for developing internal working models is between 6 months and 2 years of old (Bowlby, 1969). Bowlby proposed that if during this critical period a parent was responsive to the child’s needs and provided a secure base for a child, the child would

The notion of attachment and the attachment theory are primarily associated to John Bowlby, who’s articulation of attachment diverged significantly from all previous theories concerning the importance of social and emotional bonds formed by a child. The propensity to search for contact with a care giver was not a derived from inclination, but subsisted as a primary and permanent drive (Broderick & Blewitt.2015). Essentially, the attachment theory challenged theories of social learning, along with psychoanalysis. According to social learning theories, attachment is formed with those persons who satisfy social needs, while psychanalysis maintains that the child creates a deep connection

John Bowlby was a famous British child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst and is known to be the first Attachment theorist who asserted that attachment is a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings.” He firmly believed that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers have a long lasting, tremendous impact that stays throughout the lifetime of an individual. He said human infants become attached to their caregivers as they provide them emotional security, nurturing and protection and that that psychological problems, many times, occur from disturbances and deprivations in early childhood care giving relationships. So, Bowlby in his theory has basically observed the adverse impact on young children of separation from

John Bowlby proposed attachment theory that focuses on the crucial importance of an infant’s relationship with the primary caregiver. Bowlby believed that the relationship between the infant and the primary care provider is critical for the future social development of the child. If the infant has a loving and trusting the infant will learn that others can be trusted and loving

John Bowlby’s theory of human attachment has been widely used to studies the stages of human development. It was first introduced in the 1950’s and considered to be one of the most popular theories relating to parenting. John Bowlby, the “father” of attachment theory, explained it as “a reciprocal behavioral process initiated by the neonate to ensure survival,” which is primary need of a child from its’ mother (Brandon, 2009). Bowlby’s believed that the infant’s goal is to maintain a certain degree of

Attachment theory was developed by psychoanalyst John Bowlby in the 1950s to focus on the bond formed between a mother and child; this first relationship is critical in determining a child’s developmental outcome and it is indicative of the child’s future relationships (Brooks, 2013). A parent and child can develop a secure attachment or fall into one of three insecure attachment styles: anxious-avoidant attachments, anxious-resistant attachments, and disorganized/disoriented attachments. Children with secure attachments seem happy and secure around the parent, and become distressed when they leave often seeking out their parents. With anxious-avoidant attachments child finds parent over stimulating thus uninterested when the parent leaves

The attachment theory is most commonly observed in the parent- child scenario, as it is in Bowlby’s study which regarded the existence of the attachment as a child needing some sort of person to give them a security and assurance. It is explained that with lack thereof, the individual would find it difficult to explore horizons because there is that part of their development, needed to be fulfilled with such