Attachment in childhood

How do parent-infant bonds form? Attachment is a powerful survival impulse that keeps infants close to their caregivers. Infants attach to those who are familiar and with whom they are comfortable

How do parent-infant bonds form? Attachment is a powerful survival impulse that keeps infants close to their caregivers. Infants attach to those who are familiar and with whom they are comfortable Stranger Anxiety develops at about 8 months

How do parent-infant bonds form? Attachment is a powerful survival impulse that keeps infants close to their caregivers. Early psychologists thought attachment was simply to satisfy the need for nourishment. An accidental finding overturned this explanation.

How do parent-infant bonds form? Harry Harlow study. Preferred the cloth mother When exploring, used the cloth mother as a base When anxious, would cling to cloth mother

How do parent-infant bonds form? Harry Harlow study. Preferred the cloth mother When exploring, used the cloth mother as a base When anxious, would cling to cloth mother Body contact seems to be a fundamental factor in attachment.

How do parent-infant bonds form? Familiarity is another key in bonding. With many animals, attachment based on familiarity occurs during a critical period. Imprinting is the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early-life critical period.

How do parent-infant bonds form?

How do parent-infant bonds form? Mary Ainsworth strange situation research Observed mother-infant pairs at home during their first 6 months Later observed as one-year olds in a strange situation (a laboratory play room) Mom stays while child plays Mom leaves the room Mom returns to the room

How do parent-infant bonds form? Mary Ainsworth strange situation research Secure: explore happily; upset when mother departs, but easily soothed upon her return. Avoidant: willing to explore, don’t “touch base,” react very little to mother’s absence or return. Ambivalent: clinging, unwilling to explore; upset when mother leaves, angry with her on her return. Disorganized-disoriented: unable to decide reaction to mother’s return, approach mother with their eyes turned away from her, avoid eye contact.