John Bowlby, a psychoanalyst, formulated the theory of Attachment by drawing on his expertise and comprehension. He posited that children possess an inherent inclination to establish connections as a means of guaranteeing their survival. This concept is commonly known as evolutionary attachments. Additionally, Bowlby asserted that all attachments are innate and become apparent when the child encounters circumstances that elicit sensations of danger, like separation, fear, and insecurity.
According to Bowlby, fear of strangers was considered vital for survival in 1969 and 1988. He believed that babies exhibit natural behaviors like crying, laughing, smiling, and crawling to maintain close contact with their mothers. Attachment, an emotional bond between two individuals, takes time to develop. It is not necessary for attachment to be mutual; one person might feel attached while the other may not. Attachment is typically demonstrated through various behaviors, particularly when feeling upset or threatened.
The theory of attachment, as well as its stages developed by Bowlby, Shaffer, and Emmerson, emphasizes how it improves children’s chances of survival. These stages include indiscriminate attachment, preference for specific individuals, special preference for a single attachment figure, and multiple attachments. Indiscriminate attachment is observed in infants up to 3 months old, where they respond equally to any caregiver and are open to forming attachments with any human.
The stage of ‘preference for certain people’ typically occurs after 4 months as babies learn to differentiate between their primary and secondary caregivers. At 7 months, the stage of ‘special preference for a single attachment figure’ emerges, where babies develop a strong bond with specific individuals. During this stage, babies exhibit distress when separated from their caregivers. In the stage of ‘multiple attachments,’ babies are capable of forming bonds with multiple people. These stages were identified through a study involving 60 babies over the course of their first 18 months.
During a period of 18 months, Shaffer and Emmerson conducted visits with the babies and made observations on their interactions and attachments with their carers. They also conducted interviews with the carers. The study revealed that attachments were formed with individuals who responded to the baby’s needs, rather than the individuals the baby had spent the most time with. This phenomenon is known as sensitive responsiveness. By the time the babies reached 10 months of age, they had developed multiple attachments, with the primary ones being with their mother and father. In 1958, an experiment conducted by Harry Harlow provided further evidence on attachment.
Harlow conducted experiments on monkeys to study attachment and the effects of not forming attachments. His first experiment involved isolating infant monkeys, resulting in many deaths and abnormal behavior. The monkeys were unable to interact with each other, even as they grew older. In his second experiment, Harlow created surrogate mothers – one made of bare wire with a bottle, and the other covered in a towel. The monkeys primarily spent their time with the towel mother and approached the bottle mother only when hungry; after feeding, they would return to the towel mother. The presence of the towel mother increased exploratory behavior and fear was evident when she was removed, supporting the evolutionary theory of attachment. Although Harlow’s work has faced criticism.
Critics argue that his experiments are overly harsh and unethical, with limited value in understanding the effects of deprivation on human infants. The importance of attachment in a child’s first five years is widely acknowledged. Failure to form attachments during this period can result in what is referred to as an “attachment disorder.” Such disorders may arise from frequent caregiver changes, excessive caregivers, insufficient caregivers, or unresponsive caregivers. People with attachment disorders commonly face challenges related to self-esteem, trust, and forming relationships.
Attachment disorder is likely to lead to emotional and behavioral issues, such as a child exhibiting aggressive behavior to seek negative attention. Mary Ainsworth, a renowned psychologist, extensively studied and explained the distinctions in attachments. A significant contribution by Mary Ainsworth was the development of the “Strange Situations Classification” assessment, which aimed to explore different forms of attachments. This assessment served to observe the various types of attachment displayed by mothers and their children.
The assessment is conducted in a small room with one-way glass to observe the behavior of infants aged 12 to 18 months. The sample consists of approximately 100 middle-class American families. The assessment involves seven three-minute episodes:
- Parent and infant are alone.
- A stranger joins the parent and infant.
- The parent leaves the infant with the stranger.
- The parent returns and the stranger leaves.
- The parent leaves, leaving the infant completely alone.
- The stranger returns.
- The parent returns and the stranger leaves.
During these episodes, the child’s behavior was observed for separation anxiety, willingness to explore, stranger anxiety, and reunion behavior. Mary Ainsworth classified three main attachments between a child and their mother: secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, and avoidant attachment. Secure attachment refers to a strong bond with the caregiver, where the child seeks comfort from the caregiver and experiences distress when separated from them or left with strangers. Additionally, a securely attached child shows a greater willingness to explore their surroundings and displays happiness upon reunion with the caregiver.
Ambivalent attachment, also known as resistant attachment, refers to a situation in which the child exhibits uncertainty towards their caregiver despite having an attachment. This is apparent when the child resists their caregiver’s affection by pushing them away, but also shows signs of distress when the mother leaves the room. Unlike other attachment theories, children with ambivalent attachment are less likely to explore their surroundings and tend to cry more frequently.
On the other hand, avoidant attachment describes a situation where the child does not seem affected by the presence of their mother. They do not display any signs of distress when the mother leaves and show no interest or engagement upon her return.
The child demonstrates confidence in conversing with unfamiliar individuals and behaves normally in the presence of strangers. Mary Ainsworth’s assessments led her to conclude that children with a secure attachment had received sensitive and responsive care, while those with an ambivalent attachment had experienced inconsistent care, and those with an avoidant attachment had encountered unresponsive care. Mary Ainsworth’s research was the initial evidence supporting John Bowlby’s attachment theory (source: http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/lee.html). Multiple arguments exist both in favor of and against these attachment theories.
Attachment theory is criticized by theorist Harris (1998) for overemphasizing the role of carers. According to Harris, a child’s personality cannot be determined solely by the attachment formed with their carers. Despite forming a secure attachment, children may still exhibit challenging behaviors due to the greater influence of peers. For example, even if parents are kind and well-mannered, if a child spends time with rude and poorly-spoken peers, they are more likely to conform to fit in with their peer group.
I concur with the assertion that a child in my nursery mimics the actions of a collective of children. In their presence, they engage in object throwing and name-calling towards a girl. Nevertheless, when they are by themselves, they exhibit similar conduct to how they would behave at home – displaying good manners and kindness. Furthermore, I endorse the attachment theory as I believe that children who have experienced a secure attachment upbringing typically exert a favorable impact on establishing secure attachments throughout their lifetime. Conversely, children with avoidant attachments tend to foster animosity towards other attachments for the duration of their lives.
In my opinion, caregivers have a responsibility to provide positive role models and form secure attachments with the children in their care. This is important because when caregivers themselves display avoidant attachments, they are showing the child an incorrect form of attachment. However, it’s worth noting that not all attachments can be attributed to parental influence. For example, my family member has grown up with a secure attachment but unfortunately experiences avoidance due to ADHD. The current crime rates serve as evidence to support this theory.
Teenagers who have had a challenging upbringing frequently engage in criminal activities like theft, drug abuse, and vandalism. This behavior can be attributed to their past experiences of avoiding close relationships and craving attention. Conversely, individuals raised in a stable environment with secure attachments tend to prioritize education and strive for a prosperous career owing to the support and guidance they receive. I firmly believe that attachment theory is a dependable concept that can be readily assessed to discern different types of attachments. There exists abundant evidence supporting the firmly established nature of attachment theory.
