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Attachment Theory - Coggle Diagram
Attachment Theory
Biological Basis for Attachment
What is attachment?
"Lasting psychological connectedness between human beings"(Bowlby, 1969:194)
Use of a person (attachment figure) as a secure base from which to explore
All infants have a universal need to seek close proximity with a caregiver, especially when they feel stressed or threatened
Harlow (1963) and The monkey studies
Baby monkeys were given access to 2 surrogate mums ; a cloth monkey and a wire monkey
Do baby monkeys form attachment with a carer that provides food, or do they seek emotional comfort?
Baby monkeys spend more time with the cloth mother even though only the wire monkey had milk
Baby monkeys turned to cloth mother when frightened
The need for a comforting caregiver goes beyond being a source of food
This need for attachment is biologically ingrained
Lorenz and Imprinting
Critical period of attachments
Lorenz (1935), Hess (1958) and the baby geese studies
Geese follow the first object they see, called imprinting, during a critical period (12-17 hours after hatching)
If too early or too late, then imprinting was unlikely to happen
Are there also critical periods in human attachment?
Attachment and the social brain
Superior temporal sulcus
Can establish joint attention – the ability to attend to the same object or event that someone else is paying attention to
Important in social and language learning
Responsible for processing info about the eyes of other human faces
– this does not activate the same way in children with autism
Fusiform face area
Becomes highly activated whenever an infants sees a human face
Bowlby's theory of Attachment
Background
Bowlby worked in a child clinic and treated emotionally disturbed children
Believed that infant separation from the mother led to maladjustment in later life, promoting attachment theory
Our first relationship, the one with our parents, impacts our future relationships
His work led to a WHO publication (misused to discourage women from working)
Main Proposition
As infants (6 months – 3 years), we seek out attachment and look for a secure source
If there is a sufficient attachment figure – we end up securely attached – positive : long lasting internal working model of relationships
If there is no sufficient attachment figure – we end up insecurely attached –maladaptive internal working model of relationships
"What is believed to be essential for mental health is that an infant and young child should experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother (or permanent mother substitute), in which both find satisfaction and enjoyment " (Bowlby, 1953, p.13)
Attachment to father or second primary caregiver can substitute or reinforce infant attachment
Other people can also play an important role
While there is an inherent drive to seek attachment, there is no requirement for caregivers to have a biological relationship
Issues within attachment
Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis
Goldfarb (1947) followed the development of 30 children separated from their natural mother before 9 months
Half were cared for in an institution until age 3 and the other half by foster parents
At ages 10-14, those who spent early years in the institutional setting were on average, delayed in intelligence, reading and maths ability, more fearful, unpopular, and craved adult attention
Caregivers should be responsive, nurturing and consistent rather than neglectful - be sensitive to needs
Eg picks up baby when he needs it, feeds when he is hungry
Consistent and sensitive caregiving helps to build mutual levels of trust in caregivers and infants
Responsiveness and warm physical contact can lead to secure attachment
Negative events can sometimes cause issues
e.g loss of parent , parental sickness, negligence, poverty, parental depression
Separation from an attachment figure is potentially a major trauma for a child and can have serious consequences
Quality of the parent's relationships with each other affects their children's attachment and subsequent development
The only developmental disability that reliably predicts insecure attachment is autism and even then, only if the condition is severe – mental health and coping abilities of adults may be more critical than the childhood disorders
According to some studies, facial deformities can threaten attachment formation/behaviours
Stages of attachment
0-3 months – indiscriminate attachments; Newborn is predisposed to attach to any human
After 4 months - preference for certain people ; baby distinguishes between primary and secondary caregiver
After 7 months – special preference for a single attachment figure, shows fear of strangers and unhappiness when separated from special person
After 9 months – multiple attachments – most important aspect not who feeds and changes, but who plays and communicates
Implications
Implications for nurseries
Negative Impact on attachment?
Previous claims, such as the WHO (1951) report, suggested that maternal employment and putting children in day care damaged their emotional health
Mothers who go back to work after the birth of a child has adverse consequences on children's welfare (Ermisch & Francesoni, 2003)
Different view today!
Day care in itself is not harmful, any risks that impact development may be related to
Low quality of childcare
Number of hours spent in childcare
Quality of relationships with the primary caregiver irrespective of childcare
Young children whose mothers work do still form attachments to them and prefer them to other caregivers (Clarke-Stewart & Fein, 1983)
Nurseries can be very positive learning environments that support child development
Benefits of child care and early peer learning
Social and language development
Social learning
Peer relationships before P1
Cognitive gains
Benefits of mother/primary caregiver as a role model (also income benefit)
How to be an 'outstanding' nursery
Highly qualified staff who have time to reflect on practice and access to continuous professional development
Balanced curriculum where children's learning supported through play and some children initiated activities
Staff support children in rationalising and talking through conflicts
Parents as partners in teaching
Implications of attachment style
The attachment styles of infants form internal working models which provide the basis for interaction with others
Impacts the individual development of the child
Emotional development
Lack of concentration
Self-esteem
Problem behaviours
Adult Attachment interview
4 types – autonomous, dismissing, preoccupied, unresolved
Stability between child and adult attachment style - 72% had the same characteristics at age 21 as they did at age 1
Inter generational transfer – own attachment may sometimes be related to relationships with children
Implications for teaching
For insecure - avoidant children
Share in a mutual and interesting task with the child next to them, rather than face to face
For insecure-resistant children
Help them to develop independence and autonomy – may need to intervene if there are to many absences from school
For insecure - disorganised children
Provide reliable and consistent boundaries
Make transitions between lessons and different rooms clear and predictable
Emphasize the development of words to help express feelings
Attachment styles and Ainsworth's theory to measure attachment
How is attachment measured?
Mary Ainsworth developed the strange situation technique in order to investigate attachment styles –applied to babies around 1 year old.
1) Mother and baby introduced to experimental room
2) Mother and baby alone
3) Stranger joins mother and baby
4) Mother leaves baby with stranger
5) Mother returns and stranger leaves (reunion)
6)Mother leaves and now baby is completely alone (separation)
7) Stranger returns
8) Mother returns and Stranger leaves (reunion)
Attachment styles
Secure
As infants
Able to separate from parent but still prefers parents to strangers
Seeks comfort from parents when frightened
Greets return of parent with positive emotions
As children/adults
Have trusting and long lasting relationships
Tend to have high self esteem
Seek out social support and comfortable sharing feelings
Secure attachments are a protective factor reducing the risks of poor developmental outcomes in later life and preparing children to be competent parents themselves
Insecure-resistant
As infants
Very distressed when parents leave
Difficult to calm down
Are not comforted when parents return, exhibiting conflicting behaviour
As children/adults
High break-up rate with others
Worry that their partner/friends do not love them
Very stressed and upset when relationships end
Insecure-avoidant - can arise from neglect
As Infants
May avoid parents
Do not seek much comfort from parents
Show little or no preference between a parent or a stranger
As children/adults
May have problems with infancy with others
Invest little emotion in interpersonal relationships
Unable or unwilling to share thoughts and feelings with othe
Insecure-disorganised - can arise from abuse
As infants
Confused or apprehensive among parents
Show a mixture of avoidant and resistant behaviours
May run up to parent and then feel fear and run away or even hit the parent
As children/adults
Have no strategies for dealing with others
Difficulty forming relationships
Poor social and emotional regulation skills e.g manage stress with aggression