Social And Cultural Aspects Of Child 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).

In the part of the essay I will describe and evaluate Bowlbys theory of Attachment and the learning theory of Attachment. I will show strengths and weaknesses in both theories. I will use a collection of source literature to back up and correlate this information.

John Bowlby’s work in attachment has been the foundation when determining the attcahments and bonds that a child and parent may experience (Webb, 2011). According to Bowlby, “attachment” is referring to a lasting, mutual bond of affection that is dependent on an individual or more than one person (Webb, 2011). Establishing a secure attachment during infancy and early childhood is an important task of a parent or a caregiver. Not all parents or caregivers can provide their child with a secure attachment at this important in life due to various reasons. Since parents are the main providers in their child’s development of attachment, their lives and history has a great influence on their children’s lives.

John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth worked together to create a theory about how a child becomes attached to their parents or caregivers. The theory explains how relationships are formed for comfort and security. According to Bowlby and Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Experiment, there are three types of attachment. There are secure, avoidant, and ambivalent, and all of their characteristics are different. A secure child means he or she is attached to their caregiver.

Attachment theory is the concept of the development, of a psychological and emotional bond, that creates a secure or insecure attachment to a caregiver. Attachment bonds are very important, in regards to personal development. Formulated by John Bowlby in the sixties, he discovered that a child’s development depends significantly, on the strong attachment they form with a caregiver. Functions of Bowlby’s attachment

* They begin in some instances to feed themselves, though lacking the needed coordination, resulting in a lot of mess.

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,

Attachment and Loss Volume 1 is part of a trilogy by John Bowlby (1907-1990) on seeking a theoretical formulation to attachment behaviour to explain the nature of the bonds between a child and its mother.

In Attachment and Loss, John Bowlby presents his evolutionary theory whereby a baby enters the world pre-programmed to form attachments to others in order to secure their survival. He examines the nature of the child’s tie to his mother when proposing his theory and frequently refers to the biological sciences in particular ethology, the study of animal behaviour. This was a somewhat revolutionary approach in the field of psychoanalysis and resulted in Bowlby being referred to as the father of attachment theory.

John Bowlby, the backbone of attachment theories will be discussed throughout this essay to explain and evaluate the key theories of attachment. Health and well-being which is made up of four factors ‘physical, intellectual, emotional and social ' (Jones, 2016), will also be discussed within the essay. The definition of attachment is ‘an act of attaching or the state of being attached. ' (Dictionary, 1400) This will be showed in the assignment, using theorists to analyse the meaning. Sharing the strengths and weaknesses in some theorists will help conclude this assignment.

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

This task was shaped around socio-cultural influences in relation to the different roles and responsibilities that parents and caregivers require in the nurturing and development of children. A child’s development is critical to their wellbeing so it is vital that parents have a high level of understanding of the different areas. The practical aspect of this task was to construct a toy for a 5 year old based around the theme of fun through applying management, organisational and problem solving skills.

An example of how ones culture may have a negative impact upon the development of an ATSI child in my care could be not understanding that Aboriginal children can be raised and cared for by other members of the family other than the child’s mother and father alone. Aboriginal grandparents and uncles and aunties can also provide care for a child and make decisions regarding the child’s care and welfare and should be respected. This is something that should be discussed with the parents upon enrolment of the child at the service. As family relationships are so important amongst Aboriginal families and communities, it is important that this is acknowledged and understood then maintained and supported by services, especially when siblings or other

This child observation will draw on a child developmental theory to discuss the activities of the child I have observed. I will comment on the child’s physical growth and development, cognitive abilities, health, social relationships and emotional wellbeing. I will also look at the child’s interaction with other children and adults , in order to appreciate the child’s development and account for differences and similarities as proffered by my chosen theory of Attachment.

Sociocultural is defined as relating to, or involving a combination of social (relating to human society) and cultural (taste in art and manners that are favored by a social group) factors.” (Socialcultural , 2010) You might ask why we are defining these words. It gives a better understanding of Vygotsky beliefs “that children seek out adults for interaction, beginning at birth, and that development occurs through these interactions.” (Morrison, 2009 sec 14.6) I agree that his theory is the best process for learning. Many people feel that social interaction and learning begin at birth, but there have been research conducted that fetus can learn through parental interaction. According to Fetal memory “Prenatal memory may be important