This Paper Investigates The Application Of Attachment Theory

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

Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)

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 serves the purpose of promoting closeness between infants with their adult caregivers who are responsible for comforting, nurturing and protecting them (Breidensteine, Bailey, Zeanah & Larrieu, 2011). Bowlby (1958) developed attachment theory to explain young children’s behaviours in ethological terms, positing that infants have developed an adaptive system directed towards their adult caregivers to elicit attention and care (Del Giudice, 2009). These biological driven behaviours, such as crying or clinging to a recognised and consistent caregiver

Attachment is a term used to describe the dependency relationship a child develops towards his or her primary caregivers. It is first observable during the latter half of the first year of life and develops progressively over the first four years of life. It is most readily observed in the behavior of children when they are sick, injured, tired, anxious, hungry or thirsty. Although early attachment research focused on the mother and infant, it is now generally accepted that children develop multiple attachment relationships. An ‘attachment figure’ is defined as someone who provides physical and emotional care has continuity and consistency in the child’s life, and who has an emotional investment in the child’s life. This can include parents (biological, foster, adopted), grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, and alternate caregivers (e.g. child-care workers). Given that children are able to form multiple attachments, the question has been asked as to which attachment relationship is most influential on children’s developmental outcomes.

A mother and child’s bond is one of the most precious things ever, but have you ever wondered why? Most importantly, how does the attachment between a mother and child affect the development of the child? This paper will depict the main ideas of attachment as it is theorized by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth and it will further show how their theories relate to the theory of Erik Erikson. I will also share my personal experience of attachment and how I can use these theory aspects in my professional career.

The first years are an important stage in an child’s life. They are learning an abundance of information about themselves and the people and world around them. During this time when there is a great amount of development taking place, one of the major components is establishing some sort of attachment with their primary caregivers. There are two different perspectives on the attachment to consider. Those of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, who emphasized the importance of infants creating relationships to have a healthy up bringing for later adulthood.

John Bowlby gave an evolutionary perspective of early human relationships. He believed children who form an attachment to an adult are more likely to survive. An attachment is when an infant endures a socioemotional relationship with their caregivers, and usually develops by eight or nine months of age. A study using a procedure known as the Strange Situation, has helped Mary Ainsworth and other researchers discover four primary types of attachment relationships. The results were based on the infant’s reaction to separation and reunion with the mother.

The attachment theory gives an outlook explanation of how a parent- child relationship develops and influences the developmental stages through the infant’s growth. The most important stage of infant attachment is in the early years, which cannot be overstated; this affects the nurture abilities of the parents to present responsiveness to their child. Ainsworth and Bowlby (1969) illustrated that attachment was an emotional bond, which connected one person to another across time and space. They also believed that attachment was characterised by specific behaviours, which are known in children. These behaviours are perceived when the child is seeking proximity towards an attachment figure when they are feeling upset or even threatened.

Strengths of attachment theory are that interaction between a care giver and an infant (Berghaos, 2011). This theory made us understand the importance of responding to an infant’s cry can help them form an attachment (Berghaos, 2011). This led us to understand Ainsworth idea of that interaction as a secure base for the infant (Berghaos, 2011). Critics have said that some early attachments do not become consistent throughout the individuals life (Berghaos, 2011). They believe that attachment theory is too simple to explain adult relationships and psychopathology (Berghaos, 2011).

Another psychologist who has had major input in the subject of attachment is Spitz and Wolf (1946). Spitz and Wolf (1946) “studied 91 orphanage infants in USA and Canada (3)”, what they found amazed the world of attachment. They found that despite getting better care and maintaining adequate health many had died before their first birthday. This and Bowlby’s research lends a hand in understanding attachment and both complement each other in facts. Seen as Bowlby was researching about the critical stage in development the research that Spitz and Wolf did also proves that.

Humans are social beings by nature; from the day one is born, an immense amount of time must be dedicated to the individual in order for them to develop properly and to their maximum potential. Without this interaction with others, the child will become stagnant in their progress and fail to grow both mentally and physically. Because of its importance, infants and children have been hardwired to attach to their mothers and/or caregivers in order to fulfill this basic need. This instinctual need for attention and security was originally studied by John Bowlby in his creation of the “Attachment Theory”.

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,

Chapter 7 mainly focuses on emotional and social development in infancy and toddlerhood. I found out that Bowlby’s ethnological theory in this chapter helps me to better understand infants and toddlers’ emotional development. Ethological theory of attachment recognizes the emotion bonds between the infants and caregivers, and infants rely on caregivers based on survival instinct. Infancy is a period of time to build trust and inner security. Attachment is important for young children because it can influence their later lives on parent-child relationship, friendship, and other social needs.

The attachment theory by John Bowlby (1970) described explains that it is a ‘lasting psychological connectedness between human beings’. In his theory, he further explains that it is important for infant to learn establish and develop a secure attachment with a main caregiver. Bowlby’s attachment theories explain that the secure attachment develops between infant and their caregivers would be the foundation for the later development. Subsequently the theory evolved and come to expert agreed that early years experiences may have an impact on the multiple attachments that is bond with other adults throughout