John Bowlby's Attachment Theory explores the vital role of early caregiver-child bonds in development. It outlines the biological need for attachment, stages of attachment development, and the concept of monotropy. The theory's implications for disrupted attachments and the internal working model's influence on future relationships are also discussed.
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John Bowlby's attachment theory revolutionized our understanding of early child development in the latter half of the 20th century
Bowlby's theory asserts that children are biologically programmed to form attachments with caregivers as a means of survival
Bowlby introduced the concept of monotropy, the idea that a child has an innate need to attach to one main attachment figure, usually the mother
During this stage, infants display social signals to elicit caregiver response and maintain proximity
Infants begin to form specific attachments to caregivers during this stage
Infants seek comfort from their primary attachment figure and experience anxiety when separated from them during this stage
Infants develop the ability to engage in two-way interactions with caregivers during this stage
Infants use their primary attachment figure as a secure base from which to explore their environment
Infants seek comfort from their primary attachment figure when they are frightened or distressed
Infants may experience anxiety when separated from their primary attachment figure
Bowlby's research suggests that prolonged separation from a primary caregiver can lead to long-term cognitive deficits, emotional difficulties, and a condition known as 'affectionless psychopathy.'
Bowlby differentiated between deprivation, which involves disrupted attachment relationships, and privation, which is the complete lack of an attachment bond
The internal working model, constructed from a child's interactions with their primary caregiver, serves as a template for all future relationships and influences an individual's expectations, perceptions, and behaviors
The continuity hypothesis suggests that the quality of early attachment experiences is predictive of later social and emotional outcomes
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______'s theory, which emerged in the second half of the 20th century, changed how we view ______.
John Bowlby
early child development
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Bowlby's attachment behaviors
Secure base, safe haven, separation distress.
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Infant social signals for attachment
Crying, smiling to elicit caregiver response, maintain proximity.
