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Supports my My Understanding of Attachment Theory

Overview Attachment theory, developed primarily by John Bowlby and later expanded by Mary Ainsworth, is a psychological framework that describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans, especially as it pertains to the bond between a child and their caregiver.

Attachment Styles

• Secure: Comfortable with intimacy and independence; uses relationships as a secure base.
• Insecure:
  • Anxious: Vigilant for signs of rejection or abandonment; may confuse anxiety or intensity for love.
  • Avoidant: Deactivates emotional needs to avoid dependency.
  • Disorganized: Lacks a coherent strategy; often feels unsafe for any reason.

More Details

Concepts

1. Attachment Behavior: This includes actions by the child, such as crying, reaching out, or clinging, designed to elicit a response from the caregiver and ensure proximity and protection.

2. Secure Base: The caregiver provides a dependable base from which the child can explore their environment and to which they can return for comfort and safety.

3. Safe Haven: The caregiver acts as a safe haven for the child, providing comfort and security in times of distress.

4. Internal Working Model: Children develop internal representations of their attachment figures and themselves in relation to those figures, which guide their future social relationships and interactions.

5. Attachment Styles: Mary Ainsworth identified different attachment styles based on her “Strange Situation” study:

   • Secure Attachment: Children feel safe and are able to explore their environment, knowing they can return to their caregiver for comfort.
   • Insecure-Avoidant Attachment: Children tend to avoid or ignore the caregiver, showing little emotional response when the caregiver leaves or returns.
   • Insecure-Ambivalent (Resistant) Attachment: Children are overly clingy and dependent, showing distress when the caregiver leaves and ambivalence upon their return.
   • Disorganized Attachment: Children show a lack of clear attachment behavior, often appearing confused or apprehensive in the presence of the caregiver.

More on its history

1. John Bowlby: Often considered the father of attachment theory, Bowlby was a British psychologist who developed the core concepts of attachment theory, emphasizing the importance of a child’s relationship with their primary caregiver in terms of social, emotional, and cognitive development.

2. Mary Ainsworth: An American-Canadian developmental psychologist who expanded on Bowlby’s work. She is best known for her “Strange Situation” assessment, which identified different types of attachment styles in infants.

3. Harry Harlow: Known for his controversial experiments with rhesus monkeys, Harlow’s work demonstrated the importance of caregiving and companionship in social and cognitive development, reinforcing the ideas proposed by Bowlby and Ainsworth.

4. Mary Main: A psychologist who expanded attachment theory into adulthood with the development of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), which assesses the attachment style of adults based on their recollections of their childhood relationships with caregivers.

5. Patricia Crittenden: Developed the Dynamic-Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM), which focuses on the interplay between individual development and the environment, adding complexity to the understanding of attachment behaviors.

Attachment theory has profound implications for understanding child development, parenting practices, and therapeutic interventions. It emphasizes the significance of early relationships and their impact on later emotional and relational outcomes.