ATTACHMENT

(INFANCY & CHILDHOOD)

 ATTACHMENT
affectional bond
Individual   Attachment
Figure
(attachment) (care-giving bond)
FREUDIAN PERSPECTIVE
•Infants become attached to the object of oral satisfaction.
• Harry Harlow (1958) – study with infant monkeys.
contact comfort is important in the attachment process.
ERIKSON’S PERSPECTIVE
• stage of trust and mistrust.
•Responsive & sensitive parenting contributes to trust.
•Sense of trust as basis for attachment.
 ETHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
• John Bowlby (1969, 1989)
•Infant care giver tie – evolved response promoting survival.
•Innate signals call adult to baby’s side. (THOMPSON, 2006)
•Contact ensures feeding, BUT feeding isn’t basis of
attachment.
• Affectional bond over time ( cognitive & emotional
capacities + history of warm & sensitive care.
4 Stages of Attachment Development:

1. Pre – attachment Phase:

• Birth to 6 weeks
• Recognize voice & smell of mother but not yet attached to her.

2. Attachment-in-the-making Phase:
• 6 weeks to 6-8 months.
• Different responses to familiar care-giver.
• Develop sense of trust.
• Do not protest when separated from mother.
3. The Phase of clear-cut attachment
•6-8months to 18 months – 2years.
•Specific attachment with care giver.
•Display separation anxiety.
• care giver as a secure base.

4. Formation of a Reciprocal Relationship

• 18 months – 2years onwards.
•Awareness about others’ goals, feelings & plans.
•Starts to negotiate with care giver.

Attachment emerges from the social-cognitive advances that permit infants to

develop expectations from the attachment partner's behavior and determine the
affective quality of their relationship. (THOMPSON, 2006)
INTERNAL WORKING MODEL
•Cognitive development – complex representation of
attachment relationship.
•Serves as INTERNAL WORKING MODEL.
•Set of expectations from attachment figure & likelihood
of needs being met
•Becomes guide for all future relationships.
(BRETHERTON, 1992)
MEASUREMENT OF SECURITY OF ATTACHMENT
• Strange Situation (MARY AINSWORTH, 1979)
• information about the motivation of infant to be near the care giver.
• 8 short episodes of separation & reunion:
1. baby & parent introduced to playroom & experimenter leaves.
2. Baby plays with toys, parent is seated.
3. Stranger enters, sits & talks to parent.
4. Parent leaves, Stranger responds to baby & comforts if necessary.
5. Parent returns, greets baby, offers comfort if necessary. Strnager
leaves.
6. Parent leaves room.
7. Stranger enters & offers comfort.
8. Parent returns, greets baby, comforts if necessary & tries to reinterest
baby in toys.
1 secure attachment pattern & 3 patterns of insecurity
• Securely attached babies
• Insecure avoidant babies
• Insecure resistant babies
• Insecure disorganized babies.
Infants’ responses resemble response to separation at home.
(PEDERSON et al, 1998)
Factors:
• Security of attachment.
• Cultural variations.
• Later development & attachment.
• Influencing factors: opportunity for attachment, care giving quality,
infant characteristics & family circumstances.
 CRITCISM OF ATTACHMENT THEORY

1. Attachment & later development – not supported by all research.

2. Too much emphasis on attachment bond in infancy. (LEWIS, 2005;
LAMB, 2005)
3. Genetic & temperament factors more important.
4. Ignores diversity of socializing agents & contexts.

It is likely that early secure attachment has a positive influence on the

child’s future development but this influence works in concert with
parents across the course of childhood & adolescence. (THOMPSON,
2006)
ROLE OF OTHERS IN ATTACHMENT
• Fathers as care givers.
• Sibling relationships.
• Child care.
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THANK YOU