Psychological Mindedness

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

One of the most important factors that affect child development is the relationship of the child with their primary caregiver. This is a tenet of developmental psychology known as attachment theory. John Bowlby, the creator of this theory, wanted to examine how early childhood experiences influence personality development. Attachment theory specifically examines infant’s reactions to being separated from their primary caregiver. Bowlby hypothesized that the differences in how children react to these situations demonstrates basic behavioral differences in infancy that will have consequences for later social and emotional development.

To begin with attachment theory, first everyone should understand what the attachment is. According to attachment means bonding between a child and caregiver or vice versa. The attachment theory is the theory that describes the long term interpersonal relationship between the humans. Also, it can be defined as the strong bond between parent and child, and later in peer and romantic relationship (Metzger, Erdman, Ng 85). It generates a specific fact that how the humans react in relationships when they get hurt, separated from loved ones and perceiving a threat. Basically the two main types of attachment are secure and insecure. Secure attachment is the attachments where mother and father are available for their child and during that time child demonstrates his or her stress and reestablish the connection (Metzger, Erdman, Ng 87). Insecure attachment is the attachment where parents are not regularly in touch with their children or they ignore their child which built a failed emotion communication (Metzger, Erdman, Ng 87). Also, it may be repeated from one generation to another until it is not recovered. However, as a result of attachment theory, it is so important for children to know about it and there are also several emotional effects on children when their parents leave to go to another county due to their connections or bond between them.

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

Attachment theory is accepted by most psychologists and psychiatrists as the best explanation for how we develop the capacity to form relationships with others and relate to our environment. It asserts that the methods we use to relate to others, manage our needs, express our demands, and shape our expectations for the world are rooted in our relationships with our early caregivers. Through these interactions we learn to balance our feelings and need states with others and to establish our varying degrees of independence, dependence, power, and control. Attachment also impacts self-esteem through the experience of conflict with caregivers.

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.

New research does show that even though the primary attachments develops during infancy as a person grow the types of attachments could be altered with new types of attachments due to positive or negative life events. Secure attachment used to be the most common type of attachment among early people but with the new generation studies shows a decline in it and a small growth in avoidant and resistant attachment

This is more commonly known as the internal working model, and has been used explain how infants used this existing representation, to shape future interpretations relationships Hamilton (2000). Consequently, from a psychoanalyst perspective it is form these attachments which can from psychological disorders later in life. In addition, another large influence on attachment theory was Ainsworth (1978) and her work her work looking into the classification of attachment behaviour.

According to attachment theory, quality attachment relationships have the ability to teach infants and children to tolerate states of arousal, explore the surrounding environment, and manage emotions in developmentally appropriate ways (source). An infant’s ability to survival and development is dependent on a suitable caregiver. This theory suggests that attachment behaviors are biologically based, as the cry of an infant is a signal to the attachment figure to respond to the infant. Attachment experiences are significant for the development of a variety of skills and capacities, including social competence, problem-solving, motivation, capacity for empathy, the ability to form friendships, and the ability to rely on other adults when necessary (source). Internalized working model is a concept of attachment theory. An internalized working model refers to a child’s inner representation of attachment experience and interaction with the attachment figure. If the child had a responsive caregiver their internalized working model will provide them with a sense of self as lovable and worthy. If the child had an unresponsive caregiver then their internalized working model may provide them with a sense of self as being unlovable or unworthy (source). In addition, attachment theory also provides attachment classifications based on the attunement and responsiveness of the dyadic relationship between the caregiver and infant.

Attachment is important and abiding emotional bond that pairs one person to another across time and space. Attachment is not necessarily a reciprocal emotion one person may have some attachment to other while other does not share this. Attachment of adults towards child requires a special sense of love, care, and fulfilling of needs of the child. Such behavior is prevalent in every culture of the world. Attachment theory explains that how parent and child relationship comes into being and how it develops subsequent influences. John Bowlby (1958) originated attachment theory. He was psychiatrist in a child guidance clinic. He treated many emotionally disturbed children. Bowlby acknowledged the importance of mother-child relationship regarding their cognitive, social and emotional development. He believes that early years of infants require full attention of mothers as at that time child becomes attached to his mother. Bowlby defined attachment as “as the lasting psychological connectedness between human beings “.

Attachment has a huge impact on a person’s life. The number of studies in the area of attachment styles matches its importance on the development of the personality. Researchers suggest that attachment has direct

Family emotional system achieves a balance between needs for attachment and self-efficacy. The goals of intervention are to promote the differentiation of self with each member to increase the reflective capacity of all members (Bentley, 2002, p. 78-79).

Therefore attachment theory provides not only a framework for understanding emotional reactions in children, but also a framework for understanding commitment, separation, and sadness in adults. Attachment styles in adults are thought to stem directly from the working models (or mental models) of oneself that were developed during infancy and childhood.

In the next sections, the author will discuss the framework of attachment theory by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth since both theorists worked collaboratively with attachment styles and object relations theory. John Bowlby coined the theory of attachment based on the object relations

London psychiatrist John Bowlby’s (1946) original formulation of attachment theory was influenced and inspired by both psychoanalytic and ethological theory (Freud, 1905, Lorenz 1935, Harlow 1958). Bowlby investigated the area of behaviour called attachment, spending many years developing the more comprehensive ‘Theory of Attachments’ published in a full version in 1969. Bowlby theorized that the bonding relationship between an infant and his primary caregiver provides a framework for attachments later-on in life and he called this process the development of an internal working model (IWM). Attachment theory generated an enormous influence on general understanding of emotional development. This essay will outline the key points of Bowlby’s theory and then evaluate few examples of how, for almost half a century, other psychologists have been influenced by his work, generating creative and impactful researches, developing his theory as well as criticizing its validity ending to modify certain