John Bowlby's Theory Of Attachment

Harry and Marguerite Harlow, John Bowlby, and Mary Aisworth figure among the most notorious attachment theorists. The Harlows conducted the first experimental research regarding the effects of attachment. In their study they used baby monkeys and separate them from their mothers approximately eight hours after birth. These monkeys were raised in experimental chambers, were they were exposed to non-living surrogate mothers: some were made of wire, others were covered with terrycloth. Some of the monkeys were allowed to come in interaction with both figures. The monkeys could be fed by either of the surrogate mothers, when a bottle was attach to them. The Harlows found that the baby monkeys displayed a definite preference for the surrogate
Bowlby believed that attachment progresses because of its adaptive importance; infants are secure when parents or caregivers are close. Therefore, Bowlby’s theory falls on the continuum of continuity and change. Bowlby considered that attachment evolves through four stages: (1) preattchement (birth to 6 weeks): in this stage attachment has not taken place yet since infants do not mind being left with unknown adults; (2) beginnings of attachment (6 weeks to about 7 months): in this stage infants start to respond differentially to identified adults, but do not complaint if separated; (3) attachment (7 months to about 21 months: at this stage, attachment is evident to their caregivers. Babies express distress when their caregiver leaves. And (4) reciprocal relationships (from 21 months): at this stage, as language develops, separation anxiety declines, and the child comprehends that the caregiver will come back (Ainsworth & Bowlby,
Aisworth suggested that for the first six months of children’s life, they show equal levels of comfort with most adults, independently if they are strangers or familiar. This perspective indicates that initially, attachment is stable. As children gradually develop and begin to distinguish people, they starts to direct their attachment behavior towards specific individuals. In this sense attachment is changeable. Based on her strange situation studies, Ainsworth identified distinct patterns of attachment: secure, anxious-avoidant, and anxious-resistant, and disorganized-disoriented attachment (Ainsworth, 1989; Davis &