Attachment Theory Analysis - Essay Example

Attachment Theory al Affiliation Attachment Theory Attachment Attachment theory attempts to discuss the tendency of humans getting used to certain individuals in their lives and developing bonds with them. People form attachments from feelings, such as love. Attachment is not necessarily two-way; it can be one-sided at times. The introduction of the attachment theory traces back to the twentieth century, precisely in 1958. John Bowlby, who was then a psychiatrist at the Child Guidance Clinic in London, discovered that there was a strong bond between a child and their caregiver (Snyder, Shapiro and Treleaven, 2012). When offering guidance and moral support to the kids, Bowlby understood the role of the caregiver in terms of shaping the child’s emotional cognitive and social development. Bowbly got a better understanding of the impact of the child-mother separation and later maladjustment. In his findings, he discovered that children developed strong attachment ties with their mothers and no other caregiver seemed to replace the mother of the child. His theory went against the preceding behavioral theory that did not put into consideration the extent of the child-mother tie (OGorman, 2012). The attachment theory has had many evidences and is proven to work by most of the psychologists. It has three main stages and patterns of attachment. Attachment theory is a proven concept, and its effects can be noted among most infants; demanding a precise analysis and discussion of its stages and how it works as discussed in this piece. Stages of Attachment An analysis of attachment puts into account a number of stages of attachment. These stages were formulated through the works of Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson at around 1964. They conducted a research using sixty infants, who they went to visit at regular intervals at their homes. They discovered a consistent pattern that acknowledged a similar development of attachment among them. Here is a summary of the research results. 1. At the age of three months and below The infant had no specific attachments and is attached to any human being. The child does not discriminate, but accepts to be held by any individual. At this stage, the attachment has not yet developed, and the child has therefore not developed a bond with its carrier. 2. At the age of four months to seven months The infant can distinguish secondary and primary caregivers. The infant is attached to certain people to whom it is used to. The child less accepts the other unfamiliar faces, and at this stage, the baby can note its caregivers (OGorman, 2012). However, it can still accept care from any person. 3. At the age of seven months to nine months The baby develops attachment with certain people. It acknowledges particular caregivers/people to whom it seeks security, care, comfort, and protection. The infant develops stranger fear and separation anxiety. When separated from a special person such as the infant’s mother, anxiety is observed, and the child may result to crying. The child also fears strangers, and is rarely okay with nursing from an unknown figure (Collins and Feeney, 2013). 4. Nine months and above The baby develops multiple attachments, and can recognize most figures. At this stage, the baby can accept care from these people and is comfortable with them. The baby is now independent and develops multiple attachments. Attachment Theory The part of attachment theory strives to identify the causes of attachment among individuals. It helps to define the factors that lead to attachment and how it develops amongst human beings. The creation of attachments is best seen amongst infants and their caregivers. It is because infants are sincere and cannot fake any bond as compared to grownups that can compromise the needs of the research. A. Learning theory of attachment The learning theory, also known as the behaviorist theory attempts to discuss the activities that take place during development of mother-child attachment. Dollard and Miller brought the theory to the limelight during the 1950s. The learning attachment develops because of food. It is the need for food that results to the infant’s attachment to the caregiver. With the constant need for food, the infant develops an attachment with its mother, who is the one that provides the child with food. The child is thus attached with its mother/caregiver first, before any other being. Therefore, the need for food results to the attachment with the caregiver, who often feeds the child (Snyder, Shapiro and Treleaven, 2012). The child associates the caregiver with food, and thus the firm attachment. It is known as classical conditioning. Operant conditioning is another form, where the child associates certain feelings, such as crying and smiling, with desirable activities, such as attention and comfort. The child therefore exhibits these behaviors when in need of these activities. B. Evolutionary theory of attachment The evolutionary theory has a different approach and focuses on the child as a pre-programmed being that comes into the world with the aim of creating attachments for it to survive. The infant’s brain has the knowledge that it requires a caregiver and thus it has to develop an attachment for survival. Scientists Bowlby, Harlow, and Lorenz introduced this theory. The child, as discussed by Bowlby, forms one major attachment, which is the base for all other attachments. Lack/disruption of these attachments results to problems in the future of the child (OGorman, 2012). However, this theory does not support food as the primary cause of the attachment, but other factors such as security and comfort. How Attachment Works 1. Harlow’s Monkeys The working of the attachment theory was proven by conduction of experiments on monkeys by Harlow. The experiment is referred to as Harlow’s Monkeys, and he conducted it in 1958. To prove the evolutionary theory, he took infant monkeys and reared some in isolation and others with surrogate mothers. Those that were reared in isolation developed social problems, while the majority of them died young because of lack of a caregiver. It was despite constant feeding by Harlow. The other flock had one mother who was caged, and provided them with breast milk. The other mother was covered with cotton wool. Despite the lack of milk by the covered mother, most of the infants spent their time with her. It is because she was a safe base and would shelter them when need arose. The infants developed an emotional attachment, even though the caged mother provided them with milk. They would only visit her when hungry, and then return to the other mother who offered them emotional care. It proves the need for a being to cling on, for every infant at its critical stage (Collins and Feeney, 2013). 2. Lorenz’s Theory of Imprinting At around 1935, a scientist by the name Lorenz decided to explain the attachment in another context. He took goose eggs and kept them until they were about to hatch. At this time, he kept half for himself and the other half to a goose. After hatching, Lorenz imitated a goose, and therefore appeared as the mother to these geese. He made quack sounds and imitated the geese completely. In his research, he discovered that the geese follow their first caregiver, who in this case was Lorenz and the goose. To prove the effectiveness of his experiment, he took all the geese and put them together for some time. After letting them free, half moved back to the mother goose and the other half to their mother, Lorenz. It proves the presence of imprinting and its effectiveness. It occurs before the first 32 hours after hatching, which if there is no attachment then, then there is no development of any in the future. No imprinting can occur after this stage. Patterns of Attachments Attachments subdivide into two main categories, namely secure and insecure. Insecure attachments later subdivide into three other categories; insecure-ambivalent, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-disorganized. A. Secure attachment Secure attachment focuses on the child’s connection with its caregiver because of the assurance of a secure base and a shoulder to lie on. When the child gets used to its caregiver and is aware that he or she will always be there to help it out in case of any danger, the child develops a steadfast link. The child believes that the caregiver will always be there when it needs them to be. Proof to this is the reaction displayed by a child after separation from its caregiver, such as when a mother leaves her child to a stranger or alone. The child exhibits a lot of retaliation and uneasiness (Snyder, Shapiro and Treleaven, 2012). It stops exploring and playing, and is uneasy with the unknown company. It proves that there is an already formed bond. Later, on return of the mother, the child is very pleased, is always close to the mother and seeks her company. It proves that the attachment is because of security reasons. B. Insecure attachment Insecure attachment majors on the lack of a two-way attachment between an infant and its caregiver. Mothers at time do not spend enough time with their children as expected by the infant. The caregiver may also be rude and aggressive, resulting to the creation of a weak relationship between the two. The result of this wavering relationship is life-long, and the child has hardships relating with other people in future. According to Bowlby, an insecure attachment results to dwarfism, aggression, dependency anxiety, social maladjustment, intellectual retardation among other disabilities. Avoidant attachment refers to the behavior of the unattached child who does not cry on departure of a parent nor is it pleased on her return. Resistant attachment is a situation where the infant resists contact with the parent and is less confident in exploring the world. Disoriented attachment is because of neglect or abuse and affects the child’s behavior, not only towards the caregiver, but also to other people (Collins and Feeney, 2013). The caregiver is now the “scaregiver” and thus the infant cannot relate to him or her on a maternal basis. References Collins, N. L., & Feeney, B. C. (2013). Attachment and caregiving in adult close relationships: normative processes and individual differences. Attachment & Human Development, 15(3), 241-245. OGorman, S. (2012). Attachment Theory, Family System Theory, and the Child Presenting with Significant Behavioral Concerns. Journal Of Systemic Therapies, 31(3), 1-16. Snyder, R., Shapiro, S., & Treleaven, D. (2012). Attachment Theory and Mindfulness. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 21(5), 709-717. Read More