THEORY OF ATTACHMENT Attachment theory‚ developed by John Bowlby presents a set of organizing principles for understanding various facets of human psychological aspects. The theory offers a wide spectrum‚ which encompasses comprehensive theoretical paradigm for understanding diversities amongst relationships. Bowlby rejecting the old theories of attachment highlighted that attachment is not merely an internal drive to satisfy some need. This paper will focus on the seminal work and the principles
Premium Attachment theory Psychology Developmental psychology
Attachment Theory The Attachment theory is focused on the relationships and bonds between people‚ particularly long-term relationships including those between a parent and child and between romantic partners. Attachment is an emotional bond to another person. Psychologist John Bowlby (1969‚ 1988) was the first attachment theorist‚ describing attachment as a "lasting psychological connectedness between human beings." Bowlby believed that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers
Premium Attachment theory John Bowlby
communicate needs. * Attachment – is defined as a person-specific relationship that is dominated by affectionate interchanges. Attachment initially grows out of many instances of a young infant experiencing her parent as reflecting her emotional state. As a child grows‚ other mutually satisfying interactions add to the parent-child attachment. 2. Why is the quality of an infant’s initial attachment important? The quality of an infant’s initial attachment is enormously important
Premium Attachment theory
Attachment Theories: Bowlby and Winnicott I am particularly interested in attachment theories and ideas arising from objects theory namely Winnicott’s concepts of the transitional object and the “good enough mother”. Having two children‚ now aged 12 and 14 years old‚ I can see how the theories applied to them as babies and how it continues to be of significance now they are entering adolescence. It has also allowed me to understand relational patterns in my own life. I particularly like the recognition
Premium Attachment theory
of infancy the influence of a positive attachment can enrich an infant’s behavioural development (Peterson 2010‚ pp.140-150). Erikson (cited in Peterson 2010‚ p.51) theorises that to mould a positive attachment an infant must achieve a balance of the psychosocial stage of ‘trust versus mistrust’. The achievement of this stage combined with the infant’s environment‚ social arena‚ and how infants see themselves as individuals is dependant on a positive attachment. With an understanding of Erikson’s theory
Premium Erikson's stages of psychosocial development Infant Attachment theory
Attachment in Infants Jessica N. Summerlin Rasmussen College Attachment in Infants Ever wonder where to draw the line with the amount of attention you give an infant? Is there such thing as giving an infant too much attention? These are hard questions to answer and there is much debate on the topic; what is a good amount of attention to give an infant and how attention is related to attachment. The people that give attention and grow attached to an infant could be doing them
Premium Attachment theory Family Interpersonal relationship
The term ‘attachment’ makes reference to an intense and emotional relationship between two people. “It is not just a connection between two people. It is a bond that involves a persons desire for regular contact with that person and the experience of distress during separation from that person” (Ainsworth‚ M. 1958) Two of the biggest contributors to the understanding of attachment are Harry Harlow (1905 - 1981) and Mary Ainsworth (1913 - 1999). In 1958‚ psychologist Harry Harlow conducted a series
Premium Attachment theory John Bowlby Harry Harlow
According to Feldman (2008)‚ the emotional bond that develops between a child and a certain individual is referred to as attachment. In nonhumans‚ this process begins in the first days of life with “imprinting‚” which is essentially the infant’s readiness to learn (Lorenz‚ 1957‚ as cited in Feldman‚ 2008‚ p.89). The bond is facilitated by mother-child physical contact during imprinting. A similar phenomenon is observed between human mothers and their newborns‚ which is why mother’s are strongly encouraged
Premium Psychology Maslow's hierarchy of needs Developmental psychology
References Agrawal‚ H.‚ Gunderson‚ J.‚ Holmes‚ B.‚ Lyons-Ruth‚ K. (2004) ‘Attachment Studies with Borderline Patients: A Review’ Harvard Review of Psychiatry‚ Volume 12‚ No. 2 Ainsworth‚ M. & Bell‚ S. (1970) ‘Attachment‚ exploration‚ and separation: Illustrated by the behaviour of one-year-olds in a strange situation’. Child Development‚ 41‚ 49-67. Ainsworth‚ M. D. S. (1973). ‘The development of infant-mother attachment’‚ in B. Cardwell & H. Ricciuti (Eds.). Review of child development research
Premium Attachment theory Psychoanalysis Psychology
Attachment and Divorce: FAMILY CONSEQUENCES Bowlby ’s‚ Ainsworth ’s‚ and Shaver ’s research created the understanding that infant styles create a disposition for later behavioral traits. More current research has questioned the significance of how the disruption of the attachment structure (such as in divorce) can affect children ’s behaviors throughout life. The research on this topic is contradictory and somewhat inconclusive‚ with research asserting that either attachment style or
Premium Attachment theory Mary Ainsworth