The Development of Attachment Essay - 793 Words

The Development of Attachment Psychological research can inform us about the development of attachments to a certain extent. Mary Ainsworth actually covered a definition explaining, how we know when an attachment has developed. This is; the infant tries to get close to and maintain that proximity with the caregiver, using a number of strategies to do so. E.g. clinging and signalling behaviours such as smiling, crying and calling. The fact she has outlined this definition obviously shows she must have evidence to back her definition up. John Bowlbys view on attachment is that it is very important to ensure the survival of infants. Attachment must be two-way in order to ensure good care. The†¦show more content†¦However, the friendly responses to other people decrease and the infant treats strangers with increasing caution, (stranger anxiety). Schaffer and Emerson (1964) responded to some of Bowlbys earlier research by conducting a longitudinal study of sixty infants who came from working-class homes in Glasgow. The infants were observed over a period of one year in their home. This study has high ecological validity as the surroundings the mother and infant were in were true to life. Most infants showed separation protest at seven months, which indicated a specific attachment to one person. Within one month after the investigation, 29% formed multiple attachments and 78% formed multiple attachments within six months of the first specific attachment. In 39% of the cases, infants did not show their first specific attachment to the person who fed or bathed them. Responsiveness appears to be the key to attachment. Intensely attached infants had mothers who responded quickly to their demands and who offered the infant the most interaction. Infants who were weakly attached have mothers who failed to interact. They then produced their own stage theory consisting of three distinctive stages. The Asocial stage (0-6 weeks)- emotional behaviour such as smiling and crying does not seem to be directed specifically at any given individual. The next stage was theShow MoreRelatedThe Development Of Attachment Theory1336 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will look at the development of attachment theory since the time of Bowlby and the many theories proposed to determine which best describes attachment. The Attachment theory highlights the importance of attachment especially between mothers and infants in regards to the infants personal development, both physically and emotionally. Bowlby describes attachment as â€Å"lasting psychological connectedness between human beings†(Bowlby, 1969, p.194). Bowlby’s attachment theory suggested that mothersRead MoreThe Development Of Attachment Bonds973 Words   |  4 PagesThe development of attachment bonds to other biological figures plays an important role in emotional development. Throughout life, an individual will form several relationships, some of which will be sincere and intimate while others will be superficial. However, collectively these relationships provide the foundation of our communities, families, and friendships and become essential to our survival as a species. A secure attachment bond can be classified as the interactive emotional relationshipRead MoreThe Development of Attachment Essay1435 Words   |  6 PagesThe Development of Attachment 1. Outline the development of attachment According to Shaffer, the development of attachment can be divided into four main phases. Other researchers have then added two additional stages to this original theory.  · Pre Attachment Phase – from birth to 3 months. From 6 weeks the baby develops an attraction to other humans, especially adults in preference to other objects. This can be illustrated through social behavioursRead More The Development of Attachment Essay1748 Words   |  7 PagesOne 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 toRead MoreDevelopment And Measurement Of Attachment2389 Words   |  10 PagesDevelopment and Measurement of Attachment in Early Childhood Attachment refers to the specific, strong, long-term binds in human interpersonal relationship. When getting along with whom one form attachment with, one would feel secure and comforted. Though some said that the attachment was firstly formed in pregnancy, the main formation of attachment is mostly developed in infancy and early childhood (less than 5 years old). In the second half of the first year, infant would start to recognizeRead More Development of Attachment Essay examples1556 Words   |  7 Pagescomprehensive being their temperaments and attachment styles. A child’s temperament is the way in which he reacts to the world, new situations, people, and experiences. Attachment is an infant’s enduring emotional bond to his parentsor primary caregivers. Both of these factors affect children not only in infancy, but throughout their lives. Temperament has been shown to be a consistent aspect of a  person’s behavior over time, and their style of attachment to their primary caregiver often shapes theRead MoreAttachment Theory And Emotional Development1347 Words   |  6 Pagesand of others† (p. 133). Attachment theory plays a large role in cognitive and emotional development because it sets a foundation for the child. A case study of Angela, a 17-year-old mother, and her 11 month-old son, will dive into the attachment relationship between the two and extenuating circumstances surrounding that attachment. Angela is attempting to raise her son under the roof of her mother; who doesn’t support a paternal rela tionship for Adam. Angela’s attachment relationship with her sonRead MoreTheory Of Development And Attachment Theory1168 Words   |  5 Pages Development/ Attachment Psychoanalyst, John Bowlby in the mid 19th hundreds, investigated attachment theory. Over the years, we have enhanced our understanding on how children attach to their primary caregiver earlier in life. Supported by attachment theory, infants have a window for the development of attachment to the primary caregiver, which, usually happens during the first months of life (Hardy, 2007). Given that Alexander’s parents’ left when he was only 3 months and was raised by hisRead MoreAttachment Theory And Child Development1635 Words   |  7 PagesAttachment Theory and Children Attachment theory led not only to increased attention to attachments as a psychosocial process, it also led to a new understanding of child development (Bowlby, 1969). Freudian theory suggested that as libidinal drives fixed on different objects, former attachments would be broken; failure to break an attachment effectively would constitute a sort of trauma that could lead to later mental illness (Bretherton (1992). Attachment theory, however, suggested that growingRead MoreEarly Infant Attachment And Subsequent Development1005 Words   |  5 PagesAnalyze the research on early infant attachment and subsequent development. The infant-caregiver relationship is vastly important to the proper and healthy development of an infant and throughout the duration of the infant’s life. However, the types of relationships attained through attachments as well as socialization goals vary across cultures (Gross, 2011).Secure infant attachments are however, extremely important to overall healthy psychosocial development and prosocial behavior and can be analyzed