Reflection: Psychology and Newman
Running Head: THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED AS A DOG REFLECTION
1
The Boy Who Raised as a Dog Reflection Lauren University of La Verne
ACSD 550 Human Development Janet Trotter February 13, 2013
THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED AS A DOG REFLECTION The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog Reflection
2
My understanding of attachment prior to reading the book The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog was what I had learned from the text Development Through Life : A Psychosocial Approach. Newman and Newman (2012) define attachment as the process through which people develop specific, positive emotional bonds with others. During the stage of Infancy it is important to develop an attachment with one’s caregiver not only for the brain to develop properly but also for the development of relationships later on in life. Newman and Newman (2012) also point out that there is a difference between the presence of an attachment and the quality of that attachment. In other words, if there is a caregiver available to interact with an infant an attachment will be formed. However, the quality of that interaction and the way the infant responds can develop into certain patterns of attachment. According to Newman and Newman (2012) there are four different patterns of attachment: 1)secure attachment, 2) anxious-avoidant attachment, 3)anxiousresistant attachment, and 4) disorganized attachment. The differences in the quality of that attachment can be accounted for by four factors: 1) cultural and subcultural pathway, 2) the caregiver’s personal life story, 3)contemporary factors, and 4) characteristics of the infant. (Newman & Newman, 2012). I feel that after reading the book The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog I have a much better understanding of just how important it is to establish a sense of trust with the caregiver during infancy for the healthy development of the brain. In Chapter 5 “The Coldest Heart” Dr. Perry tells the story of Leon who brutally kills and rapes two young girls. He delves deeper into
1
The Boy Who Raised as a Dog Reflection Lauren University of La Verne
ACSD 550 Human Development Janet Trotter February 13, 2013
THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED AS A DOG REFLECTION The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog Reflection
2
My understanding of attachment prior to reading the book The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog was what I had learned from the text Development Through Life : A Psychosocial Approach. Newman and Newman (2012) define attachment as the process through which people develop specific, positive emotional bonds with others. During the stage of Infancy it is important to develop an attachment with one’s caregiver not only for the brain to develop properly but also for the development of relationships later on in life. Newman and Newman (2012) also point out that there is a difference between the presence of an attachment and the quality of that attachment. In other words, if there is a caregiver available to interact with an infant an attachment will be formed. However, the quality of that interaction and the way the infant responds can develop into certain patterns of attachment. According to Newman and Newman (2012) there are four different patterns of attachment: 1)secure attachment, 2) anxious-avoidant attachment, 3)anxiousresistant attachment, and 4) disorganized attachment. The differences in the quality of that attachment can be accounted for by four factors: 1) cultural and subcultural pathway, 2) the caregiver’s personal life story, 3)contemporary factors, and 4) characteristics of the infant. (Newman & Newman, 2012). I feel that after reading the book The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog I have a much better understanding of just how important it is to establish a sense of trust with the caregiver during infancy for the healthy development of the brain. In Chapter 5 “The Coldest Heart” Dr. Perry tells the story of Leon who brutally kills and rapes two young girls. He delves deeper into
References: Newman, B.M., & Newman, P.R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Wadsworth: Cencage Learning. Perry, B.D., & Szalavitz M. (2006). The boy who was raised as a dog: and other stories from a child psychiatrist’s notebook. New York, NY: Basic Books. 7