Attachment Theories

Attachment Definition

A strong emotional and social bond between infants and their caregivers

Very important development in the social and emotional life of the infant.

When does it form?

Usually within the first six months of the infant’s life

Shows up in second six months through wariness of strangers, fear of separation from caregiver, etc.

Just the mother?

No Attachment to the mother is usually

the primary attachment, but can attach to fathers and other caretakers as well.

John Bowlby (1969)

Most influential theory Believed it was normal (rather than

pathological) to need other people throughout the life span

Argued both infants and parents are biologically predisposed to form attachments

Argued babies are born equipped with behaviours (crying, cooing, babbling, smiling, clinging, sucking, following) that help ensure that adults will love them, stay with them and meet their needs.

Bowlby (cont’d)

Argued that adults are biologically programmed to respond to an infant’s signals.

Viewed first three years as a sensitive period for attachment

Believed the formation and security of attachment is influenced by ongoing interaction between infant and caregiver and by the ability of each partner to respond to the other’s signals.

Bowlby (cont’d)

Believed quality of early attachment influences future relationships (friends, romantic partners, own children).

Internal working models – cognitive representations of themselves and other people, shaping their expectations about relationships

Four Stages of Attachment1) Pre-attachment (0-2 months): infants do

not discriminate one person from another – no fear of strangers

2) Attachment-in-the-making (2-6 months): Infant directs signals to a particular person. Recognises their parents but do not protest when separated

3) Clear-cut attachment (6months – 3 or 4 years): Separation anxiety. Can be attached to several

4) Goal-corrected partnership (3-4 yrs onwards): understand caregiver’s schedule. Separation protests decline.

Summary of Bowlby Capacity to form attachment is

evolutionary Attachments unfold through interaction of

biological and environmental forces during a sensitive period early in life

First attachment relationship shapes later development and quality of later relationships

Internal working models of self and others affects later development

Mary Ainsworth

Ainsworth came up with a special experimental design to measure the attachment of an infant to the caretaker

The Strange Situation Test – procedure in which a caregiver leaves a child alone with a stranger for several minutes and then returns.

Four Key Observations:

Exploration: to what extent does the child explore their environment throughout

Reaction to departure: what is the child’s response when the caregiver leaves

The stranger anxiety: how does the child respond to the stranger alone

Reunion: how does the child respond to the caregiver upon returning

Findings

Infants differ in quality or style of their attachment to their caregivers.

Most show one of four distinct patterns of attachment:

1) Secure attachment2) Insecure/Avoidant attachment3) Insecure/ambivalent attachment4) Disorganised/Disorientated attachment

Secure Attachment

Most infants (65-70% of 1 yr olds) Freely expore new environments,

touching base with caregiver periodically for security.

May or may not cry when separated, when returned, crying ceases quickly.

Avoidant

15% Don’t cry when separated React to stranger similar to their

caregiver When returned, avoids her or slow

to greet her.

Ambivalent

10% Seeks contact with their caregiver

before separation After she leaves and returns, they

first seek her, then resist or reject offers of comfort

Disorganised/Disoriented

5-10% Elements of both avoidant and

ambivalent (confused)

Across cultures

Differs Reflects contrasting approaches to

rearing E.g. avoidant is relatively high in

Germany, ambivalent in Japan