Theories of Attachment

Overview Attachment theory deals with the total dependency of young children on their adult caregivers; the construction and maintenance across the lifespan of a self or identity in the context of relationships; sexual attraction, sexual behavior, mating, marriage, and parenting; and people’s reliance on each other for protection, emotional support in the face of disappointments, stresses, illnesses, conflicts, and losses.

Defining Attachment “A relatively long enduring tie in which the partner is important as a unique individual and is inter-changeable with non-other” (Ainsworth, 1989) “A close emotional selective relationship between two persons characterised by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity.” (Cohen, 1974) “The strong affectional ties that bind a person to an intimate companion.” (Bowlby, 1969)

Psychoanalytic Theory: I love you because you feed me Theories of Attachment Psychoanalytic Theory: I love you because you feed me Freud linked attachment to his oral stage of development, seeing the child gaining pleasure though feeding. As the mother is usually the feeder she becomes the baby’s primary object of security and affection, particularly if she is relaxed and generousin her feeding practices. Erikson saw feeding as representing a mothers overall responsiveness to the needs of the child, which fosters a sense of trust; Hypnotising that those children who do not learn to trust will avoid close mutual trust relationships throughout life.

Theories of Attachment Learning Theory: Rewardingness leads to love Also emphasises the importance of feeding for 2 reasons: 1. It elicits positive responses from a contended baby (smiles/coos) that are likely to increase a caregiver’s affection for the baby. 2. Mother is relaxed when feeding and provides many comforts: food, warmth,touch and soft and reassuring vocalisations. Infant therefore associates themother with pleasant feelings and will do whatever necessary to attract orremain near this valuably rewarding individual.

Theories of Attachment Cognitive-Developmental Theory: To love you I must know that you will always be there. This emphasises the holistic nature of development, seeing attachment dependent in part on level of intellectual development. The child must be able to discriminate familiar persons and have acquired the cognitive construct of object permanence.

Harlow’s Monkey Study How important is feeding? Harlow researched this question in 1959 Hypothesis: Would the monkeys become attached to the wire “mother” who feeds them or the soft, cloth mother?

Harlow (1958)

Is attachment related to oral needs Harlow & Zimmerman (1959) discovered that contact comfort, rather than food, is critical to the attachment process.

John bowlby John Bowlby, was a British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst interested in normal and abnormal personality development and its implications for social problems such as crime and delinquency, in addition to such clinical phenomena as anxiety disorders, disordered grieving following divorce or the death of a loved one, and depression

Core concepts Bowlby asked and answered the following question: Why does “maternal deprivation” have such a potent effect on subsequent personality development? Bowlby came to the conclusion that a person’s fundamental sense of safety, social acceptance, and well-being rests on the quality of his or her social relationships with “attachment figures.”

Attachment Styles Which of the next 3 paragraphs best describes you? 1. I find it relatively easy to get close to others and am comfortable depending on them and having them depend on me. I don’t often worry about being abandoned or about someone getting close to me.

Attachment Styles 2. I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others. I find it difficult to trust them completely, difficult to allow myself to depend on them. I am nervous when anyone gets too close, and often love partners want me to be more intimate than I feel comfortable being.

Attachment Styles 3. I find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like. I often worry that my partner doesn’t really love me or won’t want to stay with me. I want to merge completely with others, and this desire sometimes scares people away.

Bowlby’s Four Phases of Attachment Preattachment phase (birth to 6 weeks) The infant produces innate signals that bring others to his or her side and is comforted by the interaction that follows Attachment-in-the-making (6 weeks to 6-8 months) The phase in which infants begin to respond preferentially to familiar people

Bowlby’s Four Phases of Attachment Clear-cut attachment (between 6-8 months and 1½-2 years) Characterised by the infant’s actively seeking contact with their regular caregivers and typically showing separation protest or distress when the caregiver departs 17 34

Bowlby’s Four Phases of Attachment Reciprocal relationships (from 1½ or 2 years on) Involves children taking an active role in developing working partnerships with their caregivers

3 Stages of Separation Distress According to attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), infants and adults experience the same sequence of emotional reactions when separated from their attachment figures.

Persistent attempts to re-establish contact PROTEST 3-Stage Pattern of Separation Distress Persistent attempts to re-establish contact PROTEST DESPAIR Prolonged inactivity/ helplessness Withdrawal from/ coolness toward parent/lover DETACHMENT

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory The 3 patterns are “adaptive” responses to the kinds of care children have received: 1. Contingent/responsive care  becoming secure. 2. Rejecting care  becoming avoidant. 3. Inconsistent/unpredictable care  become anxious-ambivalent.

Attachment Styles

How Is Attachment Measured? Ainsworth (1971) created a method of studying attachment, called the Strange Situation. This consisted of a series of standardised events; Ainsworth saw the most important feature of a mother’s behaviour as sensitivity. A sensitive mother would be constantly accessible responding to baby’s needs as they arrived; while an insensitive mother interacts with the baby on her own terms often ignoring baby’s signals.

Participants Duration Content Individual Differences in Attachment How to measure? The Strange Situation (Mary Ainsworth) Participants Duration Content 1 Mother, infant Brief Mother introduces baby to toys 2 Mother, infant 3 min Mother sits in chair, baby plays. 3 Mom, infant, stranger 3 min Stranger chats with mom, infant plays. 4 Infant, stranger 3 min Mom leaves, first separation 5 Mother, infant 3 min Mom returns, stranger leaves (reunion). 6 Infant 3 min Mom leaves (second separation) 7 Infant, stranger 3 min Stranger returns 8 Mother, infant 3 min Mom returns, stranger leaves (reunion).

Attachment Categories Secure Attachment is a pattern of attachment in which an infant or child has a high-quality, relatively unambivalent relationship with his or her attachment figure In the Strange Situation, a securely attached infant, for example, may be upset when the caregiver leaves but may be happy to see the caregiver return, recovering quickly from any distress When children are securely attached, they can use caregivers as a secure base for exploration are securely attached

Attachment Categories Insecure/resistant (or ambivalent) attachment is a pattern in which infants or young children are clingy and stay close to their caregiver rather than explore the environment In the Strange Situation, insecure/resistant infants tend to become very upset when the caregiver leaves them alone in the room, and are not readily comforted by strangers When the caregiver returns, they are not easily comforted and both seek comfort and resist efforts by the caregiver to comfort them 26 34

Attachment Categories Insecure/avoidant attachment is a type of insecure attachment in which infants or young children seem somewhat indifferent toward their caregiver and may even avoid the caregiver In the Strange Situation, these children seem indifferent toward their caregiver before the caregiver leaves the room and indifferent or avoidant when the caregiver returns If these children become upset when left alone, they are as easily comforted by a stranger as by the caregiver

Attachment Categories Disorganised/disoriented attachment, was subsequently identified Infants in this category seem to have no consistent way of coping with the stress of the Strange Situation Their behaviour is often confused or even contradictory, and they often appear dazed or disoriented 28 34 Video

Caregiving Styles and Attachment Classification How Does Attachment Develop in Infancy? Caregiving Styles and Attachment Classification Baby attachment Caregiver behaviors Securely attached Sensitive to signals, consistently available Avoidant Unavailable, rejecting Resistant Inconsistent responses Disorganized Neglect, physical abuse

Caregiving Style and Attachment Classification Caregivers of securely attached babies are sensitive to their signals & are consistently available to respond to their infants’ needs. Caregivers of avoidant babies tend to be unavailable or rejecting, tending not to respond to their babies’ signals & having little physical contact with them. Caregivers of resistant babies sometimes respond to their babies’ needs & sometimes do not. Caregivers of disorganized babies often neglect or physically abuse their babies, & sometimes these caregivers suffer from depression.

SECURE ANXIOUS/ AMBIVALENT AVOIDANT Attachment Styles Trust that others will provide love and support ANXIOUS/ AMBIVALENT Fear abandonment; feel their needs might not be met AVOIDANT Defensively detach/withdraw from others

SECURE ANXIOUS/ AMBIVALENT AVOIDANT Attachment Styles Trust that others will provide love and support ANXIOUS/ AMBIVALENT Fear abandonment; feel their needs might not be met AVOIDANT Defensively detach/withdraw from others

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Hazan & Shaver (1987): The first self-report study that introduced the first self-report attachment scales. Secure people reported/perceived better, more contingent care in past relationships than insecure people. Simpson, Rholes, & Nelligan (1992): The first adult behavioral observation study. Securely attached people were more likely to give and seek support, especially when they were upset; avoidant people did the opposite.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Mikulincer (1995): Secure people have well-integrated views of the self and others; avoidant people have weakly integrated, disconnected views; preoccupied people have conflicted, views. Simpson, Rholes, & Phillips (1996): Preoccupied people display dysfunction conflict resolution tactics (especially anger), but only when they are trying to resolve a major relationship problem with their romantic partners.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Process Components: Internal Working Models: Basic Themes I can depend on others (Secure) I might be able to depend on others (Preoccupied) I cannot depend on others (Avoidant)

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Process Components: Working models: Specific sets of attitudes, beliefs, emotions, thoughts, and “if/then” expectations that reflect different levels of trust in partners: Secure = high trust Preoccupied = moderate trust Avoidant = low trust

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Primary Functions of Attachment: 1. Proximity maintenance 2. Safe haven 3. Secure base

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Working models are activated when: 1. People feel ill, fatigued, stressed, or are in pain. 2. Environmental factors are threatening (due to fear, relationship separation/loss, highly challenging situations). 3. Core attachment concerns become salient. Working models promote affect regulation by helping people lower and contain their anxiety in stressful situations.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Growth and Development: Socio-Development Model (Belsky et al., 1991) 1. Early family context/patterns of childrearing 2. Formation of internal working models 3. Psychological/behavioral characteristics 4. Somatic development 5. Mating and parenting behavior in adulthood

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Clinical Applications: Bowlby’s observations of young children separated from their parents led him to focus on therapy as a way to build more secure relationships. Thus, attachment therapies try to foster greater security and trust through goal-corrected partnerships.

Bowlby’s Attachment Theory Clinical Applications: The therapist provides and models contingent-care, which slowly changes clients’ maladaptive working models. Once maladaptive (insecure) models have been changed, clients can form more secure relationships with their significant others.