Developed by British psychologist John Bowlby and then expanded by
scientist Mary Ainsworth, think of attachment theory as a lasting feeling of
connectedness between human beings.
Here, experts offer insights into its core principles, stages and attachment
styles. Bowlby emphasized the significance of secure infant-caregiver
attachments, proposing distinct stages in attachment formation. Ainsworth's
research introduced different attachment styles. Understanding attachment
theory can help you navigate relationships and emotions with greater
understanding and empathy.
What is attachment theory?
Attachment theory is explained in a video published by students from
McMaster University, in Ontario, Canada. In the video, students explain that
the theory of attachment was discovered by John Bowlby, a British
psychologist, back in 1969.
Bowlby was trying to comprehend the intense distress experienced by
infants who had been separated from their parents. Bowlby believed that
behaviors such as crying and searching were adaptive responses to
separation from a primary attachment figure who provides support,
protection and care.
Bowlby attachment theory
Bowlby's theory of attachment, as outlined in a recent article published by
Simply Psychology, highlights the importance of secure attachments
between infants and caregivers for healthy psychological development. His
theory says that children come into the world pre-programmed to form
attachments with others, because this will help them survive.
Bowlby's attachment theory highlights the role of innate behaviors in infants
and caregivers, promoting the formation of secure attachments. A secure
base provided by a caregiver fosters confidence, trust and emotional stability
in infants. However, Bowlby emphasizes a critical period for attachment
formation, stressing that delayed mothering can have severe and lasting
consequences.
During those critical first 12 months, if a child experiences separation from
their primary caregiver without receiving sufficient substitute emotional care,
they will suffer the effects of deprivation.
Delinquency
Reduced intelligence
Increased aggression
Depression
Affectionless psychopathy
Ainsworth attachment theory
Mary Ainsworth, an American-Canadian psychologist, is another prominent
figure in the field of attachment theory, renowned for her influential study
known as the Strange Situation. In an article written by R. Chris Fraley for the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he discusses how the study
aimed to examine different attachment styles exhibited by infants in the
presence of their primary caregiver and in unfamiliar situations. Ainsworth
observed the behaviors and reactions of infants when faced with brief
separations from and reunions with their primary caregivers.
In her work, Ainsworth identified three primary attachment styles:
Secure
Anxious-resistant
Avoidant
Approximately 60% of children in the study demonstrated the secure-
attachment style. These children were upset when their parent left the room,
but they were easily comforted when their parent returned.
Twenty percent or less of the children were ill-at-ease at first upon their
separation. When reunited with their parent, they were difficult to soothe,
demonstrating conflicting behaviors about how or if they wanted to be
comforted. These children seemed to want to punish their parents for
leaving. This attachment style is known as anxious-resistant.
The remaining children in the study didn’t appear concerned or distressed
when separated from their parents. They avoided seeking eye contact with
their parent and tended to turn their attention to the play items available
within the laboratory setting. These children were referred to as avoidant.
Stages of attachment
Understanding the phases of attachment development is crucial for
comprehending the progression of emotional bonds between individuals. In a
brief video created by the University of Washington, the stages of
attachment are defined as follows:
Pre-attachment phase: This phase occurs from birth to around 6 weeks.
Infants are inherently social and show preference for human faces, but their
interactions are not yet focused on a specific caregiver.
Attachment-in-the-making phase: This phase picks up around 6 weeks
and lasts until the infant is 6 to 8 months of age. Here, infants begin to form
a preference for a particular caregiver, seeking proximity to that person and
displaying some distress when separated.
Clear-cut attachment phase: This phase starts between 6 and 8 months
and goes until sometime between 18 and 24 months. Infants actively seek
proximity to their primary caregiver, show separation anxiety and rely on the
caregiver as a secure base from which to explore the world.
Reciprocal relationship phase: This phase begins around 18 to 24 months
and continues onwards. Children develop more complex relationships with
their caregivers, actively seeking and maintaining closeness, engaging in
shared play, and showing greater emotional understanding and
communication.
Attachment styles
An article by the Cleveland Clinic explores the four primary attachment types
identified in attachment theory, shedding light on the diverse ways in which
individuals form and experience emotional bonds.
The four attachment types discussed in the article are:
Secure attachment: Babies became upset when their parent left and were
comforted by their return.
Anxious attachment: When parents leave, babies became highly
distressed and exhibited difficulty in finding comfort upon their return.
Avoidant attachment: Babies would show minimal or no reaction when
their parent left or returned, exhibiting little response to these separations
and reunions.
Disorganized attachment: This fourth attachment style was added in
1986 by child development researchers Mary Main and Judith Solomon to
classify babies who displayed unpredictable or disorganized reactions to
their parent's departures or arrivals, which could include behaviors like
hitting their heads on the ground or experiencing a freeze response.
Check out Attachment theory is explained in a video published by students
from McMaster University, in Ontario, Canada
