Attachment Theory Paper

Fraley (2002) completed a meta analysis of studies concerning attachment in order to investigate the level of attachment pattern’s continuity throughout life. The study indicated that there was a certain stability of the attachment pattern, and that the stability is independent of time. Even though it is theorized that a secure pattern will be likely to stay unchanged, it is still indicated that experiences such as bad relationships will be able to change the attachment pattern (Fraley,

Attachment Theory for Childcare Providers: An Annotated Bibliography Mardell, B. (1992). A Practitioner’s Perspective on the Implications of Attachment Theory for Daycare Professionals. Child Study Journal, 22(3), 121-128. Retrieved from https://www.esc.edu/library/

The attachment style that an individual exhibits as an infant can affect their adult romantic relationships. An attachment pattern is established in early childhood attachments and continues to function as a working model for relationships in adulthood. This model of attachment influences how each of us reacts to our needs and how we go about getting them met. The ability to recognize one 's attachment can help someone to understand their strengths and vulnerabilities in a relationship.

What is attachment theory and why is it an important aspect of intimate relationships and love? The attachment theory of love maintains that the degree and quality of attachments one experiences in early life influence one’s later relationships (Strong & Cohen, 2014). John Bowlby proposed that, based on infants interactions with caregivers, infants construct expectations about relationships in the form of internal working models- cognitive representations of themselves and other people that guide their processing of social information and behavior in relationships (Sigelman & Rider, 2015). This research was further elaborated on by Mary Ainsworth and colleagues, who believed there were three styles of infant attachment: secure, anxious or ambivalent, and avoidant.

This source discusses how Hazan and Shaver apply Bowlby’s theory of attachment in infants to determine the attachment in adult relationships. They also discuss how proximity decreases within a relationship. In addition, the article touches on reciprocity and how this concept is applied to determine if a relationship will be successful or not.

Attachment theory was originally proposed by Bowlby (1969) as an explanation of interpersonal relationships, with particular focus in his work on the parent-child relationships which are formed in early childhood. He noted that this was an evolutionary need within us as humans to form close attachments to improve our rate of survival (Bowlby, 1969). He later also theorized that these attachment styles would persist throughout life into adulthood (Bowlby, 1988). Further work on attachment theory by Bartholomew & Horowitz (1991) expanded on attachment styles and looked at the continuation of attachment style into adulthood. Using interviews with participants and the participants close friends they found evidence for four types of adult attachment styles: Secure, Preoccupied, Dismissing and Fearful (Bartholomew & Horowitz 1991). Further support for adult attachments styles is from Mikulincer & Shaver (2004) showing that attachments styles persist from childhood into adulthood demonstrating bowlby 's later hypothesis

Family life can sometimes be perceived as chaotic and unreasonable when faced with challenges. However, from a systems theory perspective, these erratic behaviors can often be explained by the interdependent workings of the family itself and reveal reason within chaos. Applying the attachment theory to this theory, an explanation for a child’s reactions within the situation and in the future can be attributed to the relationship between the caregiver and the child. When considering the day I left my mother’s drug use in Mississippi for my father’s family in Florida, it is difficult to see reason in why I eventually moved back to Mississippi. However, looking back at our first Florida family dinner and the conversations each Hollowell had

Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is a complex condition that can result from neglect or abuse, which causes the child from infancy to about the age of five, never able to form a bond or attachment to a caregiver. Attachment effects brain develop at infancy, and without secure attachments the child’s social behaviors throughout childhood to adolescents is hindered. Erickson’s theory provides a good outline of how a child with RAD responds differently to situations than a typical child who has no attachment issues. Erickson’s industry versus inferiority is a good example of how children with RAD will judge themselves more negatively, for example incompetent versus competent, useless versus productive, losers rather than winners (Berger, 2014). Children with secure attachments to caregivers know they

Attachment behavior has been defined as a series of different affectional bonds, whose activation, manifestation and intensity depend on both individual and contextual fact (Viejoa, 2018). Ainsworth and Bowlby (1965) identified three different styles of attachment: secure attachment (corresponding to a clear and stable style of intimate relationship, and stable social personality); avoidant attachment (related to an unstable style of affective bonding); and labile and unstable attachment (related to an ambivalent social personality). These traits characterize the style of interpersonal relationships when the individual faces new social situations, especially in the field of interpersonal relations of proximity,

The Attachment Theory The attachment theory talks about the early significance and developments of attachment between infants and their mothers. Attachment can be defined as intense, emotional ties to specific people. The attachment process can be divided into pre-attachment, discriminate and indiscriminate and multiple attachment phases.

Our earliest relationships in life can be deeply formative in shaping our development. Created by John Bowlby, attachment theory relates the importance of attachment in regards to personal development. According to Bowlby, attachment is the leading factor in our ability to form and maintain relationships as adults (Levy 2012, pg. 157). As human beings, we need to feel as if we belong (Cherry, 2016). We find this belongingness in our relationships and attachments. However, we differ in our ability to form such relationships. Some people may find creating relationships with people to be a fairly simple while others find relationships to be difficult or even anxiety producing. Though we each feel a need to belong, we differ in this ability. Some people struggle in relationships and other find anything relating to relationships to be simple. These differences in how we maintain and create relationships may be due to our early life experiences. Research on attachment theory suggests that our early-life relationships may be responsible, at least in part, for these differences in adult relationships (Fraley, 2010). Data proves that these different attachment styles have different effects on how an individual deals with relationships. Previous research has dialed in on different

Do early emotional bonds affect later development? That is just one of the many questions investigated by psychologists interested in attachment. Attachment theory describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans. Also, refers to the close, emotional bonds of affection that develop between infants and their care givers. Researchers have shown a keen interest in how infant-mother attachments are formed early in life.

The attachment theory was created by John Bowlby and later expanded by Mary Ainsworth (Dunham, 2017). This theory explains how a bond of affection that is formed between an infant and their caregiver, usually their mother, will go on to shape the relationships that they will have later on in life (Dunham, 2017). Bowlby believed that in order for an infant to form a secure attachment, the mother needs to be completely attuned to the infant’s needs (Schore & Schore, 2012). He also believed that how the caregiver responded to the infant would determine the nature of the attachment. Ainsworth would go on to define the three types of attachment. The first attachment is the secure attachment, the second is the anxious-avoidant attachment, and lastly is the anxious-resistant attachment (Dunham, 2017). Researchers would later add a fourth attachment, the disorganized attachment (Dunham, 2017). A disorganized attachment is usually formed when a caregiver is abusive (Dunham, 2017). An anxious-resistant attachment is an insecure attachment that is formed when the caregiver is inconsistent and unpredictable (Dunham, 2017). An anxious-avoidant attachment is another insecure attachment, in this case the child has learned not to depend on anyone (Dunham, 2017). Finally, a secure attachment is when the child knows they can rely on their caregiver to meet their needs (Dunham, 2017).

As humans, building relationships between others is a form of connecting and communicating. It is a social situation that is experienced every day through the course of a lifetime. The initial relationship that is made is between the mother and the child. This bond that connects two people is known to be called attachment. The theory of attachment begins at birth, and from that, continuing on to other relationships in family, friends, and romance. Attachment is taught through social experiences, however the relationship with the mother and her temperament are the key factors in shaping the infants attachment type, which

Whether you grew up with organized or disorganized attachment, every type effects how you handle relationships as an adult. Rising studies show that connection early on has a sufficient role in adulthood bonds (Morris & Weiss, 1982). The process of studying infant to adult attachment was mainly started by two men named Hazan and Shaver in 1987. Shaver and Hazen (1988) connected their theory to past establishments of how we love. They also gave sufficient support for the three different attachment types. Positive characteristics in relationships correlate to secure attachment; Couples who show less intimacy and happiness tend to be involved in avoidant attachment; anxious-ambivalent attachment correlates to couples who show no satisfaction, except intimacy. (Feeney & Noller, 1990). Thanks to all the data and studies collects