Chapter 14 Attachment theory

Bowlby’s attachment theory Origin of the theory in Bowlby’s work during WWII with war evacuees and orphans –Characteristic responses after separation Angry protest Despair Detachment Bowlby proposed an innate, univeral human need to form a primary ‘attachment’ –Emotional bond between infant and caregiver

Bowlby cont. Attachment behavioural system –Attachment behaviour is organised as a control system within the CNS When separation from the parent becomes too great, attachment system is activated until sufficient proximity has been achieved The system activates in the form of attachment behaviours (crying, following, smiling, babbling)

Bowlby : development of attachment PhaseAgeBehaviour Pre- attachment 0 to 2 months Undiscrimininating responsiveness (babbling, crying, smiling) Attachment-in- the-making 3 to 6 months Discrimininating responsiveness (selective smile, singling out mother) Clear cut attachment 7 months to 3 years Initiates proximity and contact Goal-corrected attachment 3+ yearsBegins to understand ooint-of-view, and to make behaviour inferences

Bowlby : internal working models (mental representations developed in early close relationships)

The strange situation procedure EpisodeEvents and procedures 1Mother and infant introduced into room 2Mother non-participative, infant explores 3Unfamiliar adult enters room, talks to M 4Mother leaves room (first separation) 5Mother returns and tries to engage child (reunion) 6Mother leaves room again (second separation) 7Stranger returns 8Mother returns

Primary attachment classification Secure –Readily separate; seeks proximity when caregiver returns Resistant –Distress at separation; angry, tense behaviour when caregiver returns Avoidant –Not anxious when separated; snubs caregiver when she/he returns

Attachment and adulthood Patterns of attachment stable across lifespan – % correspondence between infant and adult attachment classifications e.g. Hazan and Shaver (1987) showed that Ainsworth’s infancy attachment styles appear to have analagous forms in adult love relationships

Attachment and affect regulation Attachment relationships regarded as the context in which infants learn to regulate emotion –Dyadic regulatory system Infant’s signals of change in state are responded to by caregiver Infant learns that emotional distress will not be beyond his/her control

Early caregiving Temperament SECURE attachment INSECURE attachment STRESS Mental health Psycho pathology Resilience Vulnera- bility Attachment and Psychopathology

Attachment and culture Original attachment work in England and North America –Attachment takes diverse forms in a variety of cultures High avoidant-type attachment rate in Germany High resistant-type attachment rate in Japan Child-rearing patterns and their meaning must be interpreted within local cultures