Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay - 1943 Words

Bowlbys Attachment Theory Findings form animal studies were a powerful influence on Bowlbys thoughts. He suggested too that there was a critical period for the development of attachments between infant and care giver. According to Bowlby infants display an innate tendency to become attached to one particular individual. He called this monotropy. He suggested this tendency was qualitatively different from any subsequent attachment a child might form. However, he did not suggest monotropy was absolute but that the child has a hierarchy of attachments. Bowlby thought that if a child was deprived of their mother between 6 months and five years of age then this would lead to difficulties in†¦show more content†¦In 1973 the leading attachment psychologist, Mary Ainsworth, pointed out that Attachment is an affectional tie that one person forms to another person, binding them together in space, and enduring over time. Deprivation can occur when there is insufficient opportunity for interaction with a mother figure (privation), when there is insufficient interaction with mother (masked deprivation), or when there are repeated breaches of ties with mother figures. In 1949, the World Health Organisation became concerned about the number of homeless children, or children who were growing up in institutions as a result of the war years. They commissioned Bowlby to look into this matter, and to report to them whether these children were likely to be suffering from their experiences, and what the best kind of upbringing for such children was. Bowlby concluded that a warm intimate and continuing relationship with a mother figure is an essential precondition for mental health. Maternal deprivation or a disturbed emotional attachment between mother and child was said to cause irreparable damage, not only to the child but also to society as a whole. He stated (1951) deprived children, whether in their own homes or not, are a source of social infection as real and serious as are carriers of diphtheria and typhoid. Bowlbys report to the WHO had a great deal of influence among healthShow MoreRelatedBowlbys Theory Of Attachment1378 Words   |  6 Page sBowlby (1969) and his theory of attachment: An example of an extreme nature theorist is Bowlby (1969) and his theory of attachment. Bowlby believed that all mental health and behavioural problems could be linked to early childhood health. Bowlby’s theory suggests that all children are biologically pre-programmed to form relationships and attachments with others before they are even born for survival and that the fear of strangers in babies and young children represents an important survival mechanismRead MoreBowlbys Attachment Theory And Attachment1274 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Simply Psychology, Bowlby’s attachment theory says an individual can have an attachment with someone that is not shared. Attachment is characterized by behaviors in children such as seeking proximity with their attachment figure when upset. Bowlby’s experiments led him to see the importance of a child and mother relationship. (Saul McLeod, 2009) With more research later came four phases of attachment. Phase one is from birth to two months, this stage is where babies seek comfort, andRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Theories of Attachment Theory949 Words   |  4 Pagesdo not develop in a void or as â€Å"individual monadsâ €  but as members of interacting systems. Bowlby developed his theory on attachment for several decades, and at a time where any dealings with childhood trauma were still rigorously influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis through the likes of psychoanalysts such Anna Freud or Melanie Klein. Even Winnicott was â€Å"revulsed† upon reading Bowlbys papers (siegel). It certainly was a bitter pill to swallow for psychoanalysts who had been repeating since FreudRead MoreModifications of Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesModifications of Bowlbys Attachment Theory Bowlbys original theory of attachment was concerned with the bonding relationship that develops between an infant and his primary caregiver. He believed the process of bonding to have a biological basis as the genes of those infants who successfully sought the protection of a caregiver (from predators and other dangers) will have survived and been passed on. Bowlby also formulated the Maternal Deprivation hypothesis (1953)Read MoreBowlby’s Attachment Theory Essay example1156 Words   |  5 PagesBowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that â€Å"his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development† Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachmentRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay2161 Words   |  9 PagesJohn Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, â€Å"from the cradle to the grave† (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attac hment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infantRead MoreLearning Theory Of Attachment And The Other Being Bowlbys Evolution Theory1692 Words   |  7 Pageslater life. Attachment theories are studied and the effect of no attachment or disrupted attachment is studied and aimed to be resolved. John Bowlby defined attachment as the emotional and physical connection that makes two people stay close to one another. It is between children and their primary caregivers (Psychologistworld.com, 2016). This essay will discuss and evaluate two theories of attachment: one being Dollard and Miller’s learning theory of attachment and the other being Bowlby’s evolutionRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Path to Developing the Attachment Theory Essay593 Words   |  3 Pagesmany different theories on this subject, but a well-known theory is the Attachment Theory written by John Bowlby in the mid-twentieth century. John Bowlby born on February 26, 1907, was a twentieth century psychologist who contributed too many modern day psychoanalytic theories. At a young age he hardly saw his mother due to the fact that she believed, like many other mothers at that time, affection and attention would lead to spoiling of the child. So he developed a deep attachment to his nanny sinceRead MoreHow Has Bowlby’s Original Formulation of Attachment Theory Essay example2374 Words   |  10 PagesBowlby’s (1946) original formulation of attachment theory drew upon both psychoanalytic and ethol ogical theory and generated a significant amount of subsequent research. The core principle behind Bowlby’s theory was that the formation of a stable, healthy attachment with a caregiver in the early years of life is the key for an infants’ future emotional, social and cognitive development. Bowlby explained that this primary attachment relationship develops because infants need a mechanism to ensureRead MoreBowlbys Theory of Attachments854 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Bowlby’s Theory Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal. 1. THE THEORY * Bowlby’s theory suggests that attachment is evolutionary and is needed to aid survival. * He did observational research to link orphans with psychological damage. * Babies are helpless and rely on adults. They make instinctive decisions because they haven’t actually learnt anything yet. Bowlby said that babies must be genetically programmed