In the study, the inconsistent parenting style caused infants to cling anxiously to their mothers in unfamiliar settings, and cry when she left the room. While the mother was gone, the infants tended to not explore their surroundings, but act with indifference or hostility upon their mother’s return. Many of these infants continued to cry inconsolable after being picked up by their mothers. When infants, then children, are exposed to inconsistent parenting, they become insecure and anxious about close relationships as they grow older. When these people are involved in romantic relationships, they are clingy and unsure if their partner will remain with them.
The final 12% were ‘insecure-resistant’. They would be uneasy around their mother and upset when she left the room. They tried to resist strangers and were quite difficult to comfort when their mother returned. The study shows that there are significant individual differences between infants attachments (i.e. there are different types of attachments.)
Attachment Style and Relationships - Part Two Tracie PSY/220 March 25, 2012 Attachment Style and Relationships - Part Two Attachment is a particular emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. When someone knows and understands if you have a secure, anxious or avoidant style of attachment is important because it control what happens in person romantic relationships. It influences how people think, feel, and behave with their relationships as adults. The way a person forms an attachment to their romantic partners is based upon the kind of care they received as an infant. A person characteristically forms an attachment to their primary caregiver, in one of three ways that will affect their love relations.
Describe and Evaluate One Theory of Attachment and Consider its Significance on Child Rearing Today Bowlby (1951) was influenced by ethological studies that suggested infants were "genetically programmed to form attachments to a single caregiver within a critical time period." The critical time period described is called the "sensitive period," it is a period of time in which something is likely to occur. He suggested that "mother love in infancy is as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins are for physical health." Bowlby focused on the mother as the attachment figure. Bowlby argued that attachment was an "evolved mechanism;" an innate response that ensured the survival of the child.
Bowlby noted the apparent distress in children separated from their mothers in unusual circumstances e.g. hospitalisation. In studying the more abnormal and distressing situations he attempted to shed light on an understanding of normal emotional attachment development, and how a disruption could prove damaging to the child emotionally and through to adult maturation. Bowlby suggested that the presence of the mother was just as crucial to the baby as being supplied basic needs such as food. His conclusions led him to postulate that the distress at separation from the mother was universal in babies.
Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable. Psychosocial Stage 2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt *
Safe Haven - Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat. Secure Base - The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment. Separation Distress - Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure. Erik Erikson Erik Erikson was a psychoanalyst who developed the theory of psychosocial development. He was born on June 15,
The central idea of attachment theory is that mothers who are available and responsive to their infant’s needs establish a sense for security. The infant knows that the caregiver is dependable, which creates a secure base for the child to explore their surroundings. The characteristics involved with attachment theory are: a safe haven, secure base, proximity maintenance and separation distress. In the process of forming attachments, infants learn a lot about other people and themselves. For example, a baby slowly develops expectations about shared routines (“ When Grandma says,’ Peekaboo’, I hide my eyes and we both laugh”), beliefs about other people’s trustworthiness (“Mommy takes care of me”), emotional connections (“ I love my Daddy”), and a
Bonding is the period where an emotional tie between parent and infant is present. The process begins before birth, when the parent(s) become aware of the fact that they have a growing child inside and the relationship can begin. For the baby, bonding begins the process of trust and communication. It teaches a child that he or she is loved and wanted. It instills self-esteem as
But he is also frightened of getting caught, and doesn’t dare to move, or switch the light on. So it’s an odd mix-up of “grown-up and childish exhortations”. The fact that