ipl-logo

John Bowlby's Theory Of Socio-Emotional And Infant Development

1354 Words6 Pages

Research of over the course 30 years showed that infants are far more competent, social, and responsive and are able to make sense of their environment. Infants are no longer regarded as passive and do not only respond to stimuli (Fantz, 1963).
The theory of attachment that was first proposed by John Bowlby (1970) described it as a ‘lasting psychological connectedness between human beings’. He notion that children as young as infant need to develop a secure attachment with their main caregiver. Bowlby’s attachment theories are both psychopathology and normal socio-emotional development. It is based on the idea that the early relationship that develops between the infant and caregiver provides the foundation for later development. Bowlby’s …show more content…

How infant and toddlers are given the time, space, engagement have huge impact in children later years. Experts too has agreed that all these factor are important to the development of children socio-emotional and cognitive (Scroufe, 1988; Howes, 1999). Secure attachments support and help children to be able to regulate emotions, reduce fear, building relationship with other adults, empathy for others and appropriate moral reasoning. Bowlby calls this as the internal working model. In the opposite direction, insecure attachments, has negative impact on child overall development for instance they are be able to manage their emotions or engage in reciprocal relationships. In a longitudinal study by Waters, Merrick, Treboux, & Albersheim (2000), they monitored 50 individuals over a period of 20 years found that there is a stable secured attachment over that period, with a greater percentile for individuals without any major negative life events, and less stable (less than 50%) for those who had experienced a major negative …show more content…

In addition, some infants are classified as disorganized/disoriented with regard to attachment as they are not able to settle in to a single, organized attachment pattern when in distress. Instead, they become disoriented or resort to conflicting behavioral strategies.
Attachments are not characteristic of either the caregivers or infants. It is the relationship bonds overtime between emotion and behaviors as infant and caregiver interact, particularly when infant needs for comfort are of concern. Sense of trust develops when a baby’s needs are responded to. Attachment is the bond that forms between a primary caregiver and a

Show More
Related

Attachment Theory Paper

823 Words | 4 Pages

His idea of the theory was that when infants became attached to adults whom are responsive and sensitive during the social interactions and form a maintained caregiving relationship during the 6 months to 3 years of life (McLeod). Without the development of attachment, children could suffer from serious impairments both psychological and social. This process establishes various forms of attachment, which in the future will guide the thoughts, feelings, and expectations in children as adults in their future relationships. In this paper, there will be explanations, examples, and other psychologist discussing their attachment theories. There are four different style of attachment in adults; Secure, Dismissive, Preoccupied, and Fearful-Avoidant.

Read More

Assess The Influence Of Attachment On Children's Life

208 Words | 1 Pages

The term attachment is used widely when focusing on children’s early relationships. An attachment can be thought of as a unique emotional tie or bond between a child and another person which usually is an adult. Research shows that the quality of these bonds or attachments will shape a child’s ability to form other relationships later on in life. In the 1950’s a theorist John Bowlby identified that children and young people’s mental health and behaviour could be linked to separation from a child’s primary carer. He also identified that young children can show separation anxiety if their primary carer is not there for them.

Read More

Attachment Theory In Hope Meadows Synopsis

1013 Words | 5 Pages

Attachment theory states that either secure or insecure bonds may form between infant and mother in the first several months of the infant’s life for the purposes of safety and security. The bond formed between infant and mother influences the quality of the relationships a child has throughout his or her life. One major reasoning of the attachment theory is that the parents are a sanctuary of safety throughout all of early childhood. Insecure attachments promote feelings of threat, rejection, and personal unworthiness. This can also be the explanation for the dream children stashing food away because of the possible threat that there,” will come a time when they will not be fed” (Smith 99).Unhealthy attachments not only lead to poor caregiver-child relationships, but can also cause a dysfunctional self-development, defective relationships, substance abuse problems, and educational difficulties.

Read More

The Consequences Of Secure Attachment

223 Words | 1 Pages

Secured attachment is extremely important in the developmental stages of an infant. Secure attachment is when an infant feels distressed when they are separated from their caregivers and feels happy when their caregiver returns. Research from this article suggests that, when an infant does not receive the comfort they need from their caregiver for secure attachments, it can have a negative impact on their behaviour later on in their childhood and throughout life. Infants who have secured attachments tend to develop stronger self-esteem as they grow older, they also tend to be more independent and successful in socialising. Those children are also less likely to experience less depression and anxiety.

Read More

Bowlby: Secure Attachment Analysis

966 Words | 4 Pages

Bowlby believed that infants are a product of evolutionary processes pre-coded with a survival instinct to form an attachment with an individual to provide it with comfort, guidance, safety and security (Bowlby 1958, cited in Lishman 2007) Generally attachments were formed with responsive persons who interacted and played with the child a lot, simple caregiving such as nappy changing was itself not an important factor. This strong attachment to the primary caregiver provides a strong base for exploration and reissuance when the child felt insecure (fox, 1977 pg 109). Bowlby believed that there are four main features of attachment. These are safe haven, he believed that the primary care giver would make the child feel safe, secure base, here

Read More

Peekaboo, Hide-And Seek Analysis

1650 Words | 7 Pages

This test observed patterns in the infants’ experiences of separation and reunion with their mother, and their reaction to a stranger, in order to evaluate the type of attachment relationship the infant shared with their mother (Ainsworth, 1978). Ainsworth found a significant consistency between the mothers’ interactive styles and the reactions of the infants. The results of this test led Ainsworth to classify the behaviours into three main categories. She identified the infants to have secure attachment, or one of two forms of insecure attachment, avoidant or ambivalent (Music,

Read More

Comparing John Bowlby And Mary Ainsworth's Theories

307 Words | 2 Pages

Although we are studying theories, some of them appear to explain human behavior and personality with certain accuracy. John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth theories of attachment can also explain what happens to people when attachment to their parents or caregivers is healthy or potential problems that could occur due to detachments. They suggest that individuals raised with secure attachments to their primary caregivers help them to feel secure; moreover, these children appear to be more socially skilled and less likely to experience major emotional disturbances. However, failure to form healthy attachments, especially mother-child, could serve as a descriptive mechanism for many negative psychological outcomes later in the life of an individual,

Read More

Secure Attachments In Children

603 Words | 3 Pages

In the normal development of every individual, the need to form secure attachments with their parents is present. Developmental theorists have even categorized attachment as a basic need of every human being, (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Secure attachments take place when the physical and emotional needs of the child are constantly provided, particularly during the first two years of life. Healthy attachments will make children internalize their parents as figures of trust; this in turn will make them perceive their parents with an image of security, stability, and dependence. Healthy parent-child attachment is necessary to allow the child to develop interdependence and learn to engage in reciprocally pleasurable interactions.

Read More

Bowlby Attachment Theory Essay

890 Words | 4 Pages

One of the main theories in Developmental psychology is the attachment theory that was devised by Bowlby (1969) and was added to in 1973, by Mary Ainsworth. The attachment theory surrounds the bond between a primary care giver and a baby. They believe that attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space. In 1930 Bowlby worked as a psychiatrist in a children’s unit, where he treated many emotionally disturbed children, this lead him to consider the relationship between mother and child and the impact that could have on the child’s development. Bowlby believed that the attachment process was an all or nothing process and that you either were attached or were not attached.

Read More

John Bowlby´s Attachment Theory: What´s Attachment Theory?

959 Words | 4 Pages

Its evident through research and studies that attachment is important for the caregiver and most importantly the infant . ( McLead ,

Read More

Promiscuo Attachment Theory

489 Words | 2 Pages

And Ainsworth expanded on Bowlby’s theory to include infants and their ability to explore the world securely. Some of the characteristics of attachment theory are seeking shelter or help from the attachment when feeling threatened or vulnerable. (Bretherton, 1992, p.

Read More

Erikson Attachment Theory

800 Words | 4 Pages

Theories (Erikson & Attachment) According to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, trust vs. mistrust, occurs in the first year of life. Erikson believed that the caregiver’s response to the infant’s cries help them develop a sense of trust, when the caregiver responds right away to the infant’s distress of crying or fussing (Mooney, 2000). Erikson believed that in the earliest years of life, mainly during infancy, patterns of trust or mistrust are formed that control, or at least influence, a person’s actions or interactions for the rest of life (Erikson, 1950). Bowlby hypothesized that children are born with a predisposition to be attached to caregivers and that children will organize their behavior and thinking in order to maintain those relationships (Bettmann, 2006).

Read More

Sigmund Freud's Theory Of Attachment

1810 Words | 8 Pages

The experiment was done in a room with a one way glass to observe the infant. Different situations were given to the infant to determine the infant’s attachment style, the mother of the infant would leave the room and the infant would be left with the experimenter or the experimenter would leave the room and leave the mother and infant alone. How the infant reacts to the situation is used to determine the attachment style of the infant. Infants with secure attachment style would be distressed every time the mother would leave, the infant avoids the stranger when the mother leaves and when the mother returns the infant becomes happier. Infants with ambivalent attachment attachment style get distressed whenever the mother leaves, and avoids the stranger when left alone.

Read More

Essay On Attachment Theory

785 Words | 4 Pages

A human baby is born with poorly developed sight and is unable to move. As a consequence to this he is vulnerable and is completely dependent on a carer for survival (Winston, 2003). To improve the chances of survival, the baby is born with pre-programmed and automatic behaviour which are prompted by environmental factors (Bergen, 2008). Bowlby theorised that when a young child feels distressed, frightened or confused, attachment behaviour is triggered and this serves to bring the child closer to their mother* who provides the desired comfort, care and protection (Bowlby,

Read More

Essay On Attachment In Early Life

1137 Words | 5 Pages

Through factors such as cognitive development of the infant, attentive care and intimate interactions with a primary caregiver, the attachment relationship is created – shaping the infants- caregiver bond. By examining the interactions between an infant and their primary caregiver, we can identify secure, insecure and disorganized attachment (Ainsworth, 1978; Cassidy 1994); which can reveal a great deal about the relationship between the infant and attachment figure. Overall, the quality of attachment bonds formed in the early years can have long lasting effects on an infant’s emotional security and social competence; not only shaping their ability to form relationships, but laying the foundations for the social, emotional and mental development of the

Read More

More about John Bowlby's Theory Of Socio-Emotional And Infant Development

Related Topics

Open Document