The Motivation For Volunteering Is Not Always Based On Altruistic Motives

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.

John Bowlby’s work in attachment has been one of the foundational works when determining the level of attachments 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 or children 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 have a great influence on their children’s lives.

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

Bowlby’s work on attachment theory shows infants treated well develop a secure attachment. Hence they have a good foundation for healthy self-esteem, behavior, and future relationships (Barnet, Ganiban, & Cicchetti, 1991). If the infant develops an insecure bond with the caregiver, they may develop mental disturbances (Cicchetti, Ganiban, & Barnett, 1991). Mary Ainsworth, Bowlby’s contemporary, applied Bowlby’s theory in her research. In 1978, Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, and Wall, created the strange situation technique to study one year old infant attachments (as cited in Colonnesi et al., 2011, p.631). Results of their analysis led to three categories of attachment. They distinguished a secure (B), an insecure avoidant (A), and insecure ambivalent attachment (C)

Attachment: Bowlby describes attachment as a process that happens over time between the child and their primary caregiver. A child would initially form only one primary attachment and that the attachment figure acted as a secure base for exploring the world. The attachment relationship acts as a prototype for all future social relationships so disrupting it can have severe consequences. (Hardy, 2007 )

In contradiction to the behavioral theory that stated that a child’s attachment to his/her mother was a set of learned behaviors centered around who fed the child, J. Bowlby introduced the attachment theory (McLeod, 2009). According to Bowlby, an infant’s attachment to his/her primary caregiver will be the secure protective base from which s/he will explore his/her world (Lee, 2003). He believed that children are born biologically ready to form attachments in order to survive. Their behaviors elicit responses from caregivers, not to solely get food, but care. He observed that when separated from the mother,

Attachment theory, first hypothesized by Bowlby over five decades ago, has seen resurgence in recent years (De Rick, Vanheule; Verhaeghe, 2009). Significant aspects of attachment theory have reinforced the idea that the relationship

Bowlby believed that attachment begins at infancy and continues throughout life. A child will establish a strong attachment with its main caregiver who will be the child’s base of exploration (Lee 2003). Ainsworth believed in the control systems but went further with the Strange Situation which splits attachment up into three types: secure, avoidant and resistant. (McLeod, 2008) Ainsworth developed an experimental process in order to see the variety of attachment forms shown between mothers and children. The experiment was set up in a small room with one way glass so that the child can be observed. The children were aged between 12 and 18 months. The Strange Situation classification has been found to have good

The first relationships we form with our caregivers forms a pathway in which we continue to follow in future social interactions as we get older. This initial emotional bond, whether secure, insecure or ambivalent, typical is formed with our mom and dad, is known as attachment. John Bowlby, presented his theory regarding the stages in attachment development in 1969. In the primary stage of preattachment, beginning from birth to around six weeks of age, occurs when newborns develop sensory preferences that allow them to form connections with the primary caregiver, typically the mother. In the second stage, attachment in the making, infants develop a form of stranger anxiety and can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Each individual has their own style of attachment, whether it is secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, avoidant attachment, or disorganized attachment. Attachment styles develop early on in life and seem to develop over time based on one’s experiences and interactions with other people. Some seem to have more secure attachments than others and some seem more shut off and insecure with their attachments. In a study conducted by Dr. Mary Ainsworth, called “Strange Situation”, attachment behaviors were explored, where Ainsworth measured the reactions of children when separated from their caregiver. This study showed the vast differences in reactions of children with different attachment styles (Firestone 2016). Different attachment styles seem to be a product of the environment the child was raised in, whether it was a loving, secure environment, or a dysfunctional, less nurturing environment.

Attachment theory was introduced by British psychologist John Bowlby (1978). In this theory, he explains attachment style as “any behavior in which a person attains and seeks to maintain a relationship with a specific and clearly identified person who is judged by the individual to be able to better cope with the world” (Williams, 2010, p. 204). Bowlby thought that this theory applied to children as a working model that will develop through their life. Later, Mary Ainsworth proved that the attachment style of children and infants depends on their previous background regarding the bonds they create which have been influenced by primary attachment caregivers (Williams, 2010). Those previous experiences have direct connections to the attachment styles that the children will develop as young adults. As a result, attachment style was classified by phycologists in the following three categories: secure, avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent (Levy, Blatt, & Shaver, 1998).

John Bowlby was a British psychoanalyst, medical doctor, and war veteran credited with his studies relating to attachment and bonding. Bowlby’s theory rationalizes how attachment behaviors are triggered when an individual senses fear, fatigue, or pain. Bowlby felt that human attachment was just as important as “the need for food and sex yet considered attachment as a homeostatic control system operating within the context of other behavior control systems” (New World Encyclopedia, 2013, p.2). If the child is experiencing stress then the child will rely upon the caregiver for support, otherwise the child feels safe in exploring and discovering in his surroundings while the caregiver is providing a secure base. If the child feels his basic needs are not being properly met then the outcome is an attachment that has been disturbed or disrupted (Levy et al., 2015, p. 198).

Solomon is experiencing attachment issues as noted by his crying when his mother leaves him with a babysitter. This behavior is indicative of Bowlby’s attachment theory which explains that in order for appropriate attachment to occur, the child’s immediate needs must be care for(Broderick & Blewlitt, 2015), However, in the case of Solomon, his needs were not met due to his parents addiction they were incapable of tending to his needs immediately resulting in attachment anxiety or separation anxiety(Broderick & Blewlitt, 2015).

This research is being conducted to investigate volunteer motivation, satisfactions and dissatisfactions. As is stated by Becsi et al (2008), much of the literature in the social sciences focuses on predicting volunteering behaviour with underlying theories of resources availability.