ATTACHment Theory

John Bowlby
A

Affectionless psychopathy: A term used by Critical period: A time period where an

Bowlby to describe people who don't show
concern or affection for other people and
show no or very little remorse or guilt
Asocial stage: Stage from 0-6 weeks where
infant may respond to faces or voices but an
attachment has not been formed
Attachment : lasting psychological
connectedness between human beings; Two-
way enduring emotional tie to another
person
Attachment in making (6 weeks- 6 to 8
months): Infants begins to develop a sense
of trust in their mothers, in that they can
depend on her in times of need. They are
soothed more quickly by their mother, and
smile more often next to her.
C separation anxiety declines. The infant can
Clear cut attachment (6 to 8 months- 18
months to 2 years): Attachment is
established. The infant prefers his mother
over anyone else, and experiences separation
anxiety when she leaves. The intensity of
separation anxiety is influenced by the
infant’s temperament and the way in which
caregivers respond and soothe the infant.
Contact comfort: The physical and
emotional comfort that an infant receives
from being close to its mother
Continuity Hypothesis: The idea that early
relationships with caregivers predict later
relationships in adulthood
attachment has to form or it never will
D
Disinhibited attachment: Child shows
equal affection to strangers as they do
people they know well
E
Evolutionary explanation: Explanation for
behaviour such as attachment that views it as
increasing survival chances
F
Formation of reciprocal relationship (18
months +): As language develops,
now understand when his mother is leaving
and when she will be coming back. In
addition, a sense of security has developed,
in that even when his mother is not
physically there, he knows she is always
there for him. Bowlby called this sense of
security an internal working model.
I
Imprinting: Where offspring follow the
first large-moving object they see
Indiscriminate attachment: Infants aged 2-
7 months can discriminate between familiar
and unfamiliar people but does not show P
stranger anxiety
pre-attachment phase: babies recognize
Innate behaviour: A behaviour that is their primary caregiver but do not yet have
instinctive and does not need to be learned an attachment. Their crying and fussing
draws the attention and care of the parent,
Insecure avoidant attachment :
which is rewarding to both the child and the
Attachment classification in Strange
caregiver. As this stage progresses through
Situation where child shows low stranger
about three months, infants begin to
and separation anxiety and little response to
recognize the parent more and develop a
reunion
sense of trust.
Insecure resistant attachment:
Privation: Failure to form an attachment in
Attachment classification in Strange
early childhood
Situation where child shoes high stranger
and separation anxiety and resists comfort at proximity seeking: The way that infants try
reunion to maintain physical contact or be close to
their attachment figure
Institutionalisation: The effects of growing
up in an institution, such as a children's
home or orphanage R
Interactional synchrony: Infant and
Reciprocity: Infant and caregiver match
caregiver reflect each other's actions and
each other's responses
emotions in a coordinated manner
Internal working model: Mental
representation of our relationship with our S
primary caregiver that becomes a template
for future relationships Secure attachment: Most desirable
attachment classification in Strange
Situation where child shows separation
M anxiety, stranger anxiety and joy on reunion
Sensitive period: The best time period over
Maternal deprivation hypothesis:
which attachments can form
Separation from the mother figure in early
childhood has serious consequences Separation anxiety: Degree of distress
shown by the child when separated from the
Monotropy: A unique and close attachment
caregiver
to one person - the primary attachment
figure Social releasers: Innate behaviours shown
by an infant that lead to a caregiving
Multiple attachments: Formation of
response
emotional bonds with more than one carer
Specific attachment: Infants aged 7 months
tend to show a strong attachment to one
particular person and are wary of strangers
Strange Situation: A controlled observation
used to test children’s attachment patterns
Stranger anxiety: Degree of distress shown
by an infant when with unfamiliar people

Temperament: The characteristics and

aspects of personality an infant is born with
and that might impact on its attachment type