Theories Of Attachment

The learning theory of attachment focuses of two concepts; operant and classical conditioning. Classical conditioning as an explanation for attachment describes the baby receiving food (and unconditioned stimulus) and producing an unconditioned response (happiness) and the mother feeding the baby will be the neutral stimulus. The baby will then experience the mother giving them food (and therefore happiness) a number of times and then learn to associate the mother (now a conditioned stimulus) with the feeling of happiness (a conditioned response) and thus an attachment will form. Operant conditioning describes attachment as a reinforced response. When a

What is the definition of attachment? If you look it up in a dictionary it explains that it is ‘an emotional bond between an infant or toddler and primary caregiver, a strong bond being vital for the child’s normal behavioural and social development’. That strong bond between infant and caregiver is believed to happen between the ages of 6-8 months although Bowlby (1958) suggests that the infants are born into this world pre-programmed to form attachments, they have innate behaviours in the way of crying, smiling, crawling and cooing which will stimulate attention and comforting responses from the caregivers. These behaviours are called social releasers. Kagan et al (1978)

This essay is looking at the similarities of two researchers into attachment. The aim is to present their work so as to compare and contrast the different approaches and techniques used by both Harry Harlow and Mary Ainsworth. Even though they both had their different techniques in carrying out their experiments, the conclusion of their findings was very similar and this essay will be showing these findings by contrast. Both psychologists wanted to find out the underlying mechanics of attachment of mothers and their young.

Attachment is described as an "affectionate reciprocal relationship between an individual and another individual." Much psychological research has been carried out into the types of attachments that infants form with their caregivers, and the results gained from these studies show how early attachments can affect children whether positively or negatively.

The formal origin of attachment theory can be traced to the publication of two papers in 1958 “The Nature of the Child’s Tie to his Mother” by Bowlby in

avoidant, and resistant. The secure type of child seeks protection or comfort from their mother.

The learning theory put forward by Dollard and Miller (1950) attempts to explain why attachments are formed in terms of nurture. They claim that attachment involves a set of learned behaviours through classical and operate conditioning. Classical conditioning

Ainsworth and Bowlby are only a few of the noteworthy names that have made various theories on attachment with an experiment attached to their name. Ainsworth with another colleague, most noteworthy experiment where they discovered the different types of attachment styles, the experiment the Ainsworth named The Strange Situation “were the security of attachment in one- to two-year-olds were investigated using the strange situation paradigm, in order to determine the nature of attachment behaviors and styles of attachment”. (McLeod 2007) The procedure begins with the child and his mother in a room where the child is allowed to play and explore alone. A stranger enters the room, talks to the mother, and approaches the child while the mother leaves

The formation of attachment begins at birth with the child forming some type or form of attachment with their parents or primary caregiver. Hopefully, the child is able to form a proper or secure attachment with their parent or primary caregivers because the attachment formed between the parents or primary caregiver acts the foundation for how well the child will be able to form attachments with others outside the immediate family (Gullone, Ollendick, King,2006).This is because the type or level of attachment the child was able to form with his or her parent generally predicts the type or level of attachment the child will form with others outside their intermediate family. However, as the individual interacts with the outside world more and

Attachment theory examines the mannerisms of the infant and caregiver, how they relate to each other, and how they reinforce each others’ behaviors. Touching, tickling, holding, picking up, vocalizing, looking, and both proto-imperative and proto-declarative pointing are all part of those behaviors. A safe haven is generally the physical location about the caregiver where the infant feels safe while a safe harbor is the area around the caregiver where the infant feels comfortable to explore their world. Through the Strange Situation test, Ainsworth and Mains determined four categories or styles of attachment, which have been both praised and criticized through the years but remain generally consistent, even when performed in multiple cultures:

The earliest derivation of attachment theory is found in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of development. Freud was the first to suggest a theory of human developmental stages. Oral stage, the first step of his theory, sees infants become attached

As humans, building relationships between others is a form of connecting and communicating. It is a social situation that is experienced every day through the course of a lifetime. The initial relationship that is made is between the mother and the child. This bond that connects two people is known to be called attachment. The theory of attachment begins at birth, and from that, continuing on to other relationships in family, friends, and romance. Attachment is taught through social experiences, however the relationship with the mother and her temperament are the key factors in shaping the infants attachment type, which

There are two approaches to attachment; evolutionary theory and behavioural theory, and for the purposes of this essay I will focus largely on the evolutionary school of thought.

Attachment theory is a concept that explores the importance of attachment in respect to direct development. “It is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space” (Bowlby, 1969; McLeod, 2009). It is the relationship that develops within the first year of the infant’s life between them and their caregiver. The theory also relates to the quality of the attachment that is shown in the behavior of the infant (Rieser-Danner, 2016). Attachment theory shows that infants need a close nurturing relationship with their caregiver in order to have a healthy relationship. Lack of response from the caregiver