Advice for a crying baby Introduction There will be days whereby an infant is extremely well behaved and there will be days whereby an infant is seen crying their lungs out. Crying is inevitable in the development of an infant. As an infant is only capable of communicating their distress through their cries, it can be seen as a signal or cue for several reasons such as signs of exhaustion, hunger or pain. Theories Attachment Theory. According to John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory (cited in Kirkpatrick & Shaver, 1990), an infant is programmed to form attachment with their primary caregiver (Ainsworth, 1979) in order to strengthen their chances of survival. This form of attachment is forged when caregivers provide infants with a source of comfort and a sense of security. Attachment is also strongly interlinked with exploration systems. Bowlby and Ainsworth (cited in Rothbaum, Weiz, Pott, Miyake & Morelli, 2002) also state that infants are more inclined to examine their environment when they receive sufficient comfort and protection provided by their caregivers. Thus, when faced with …show more content…
When this happens, it will cause a strain in the relationship between the caregiver and infant. Based on Erik Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development mentioned earlier, an infant undergoes the first stage known as trust versus mistrust. This stage is a period whereby an infant develops either trust or mistrust of the world around them and it can impact a person’s behaviour or interactions for the rest of their life. Thus, it is important that the caregiver responds promptly to the infant’s signals of distress in order for them to develop a sense of trust and understand that someone cares for them and will be responsive to their
Attachment is an important aspect through the developmental stages of a child. It is the process through which an individual develops specific bonds with others (). John Bowlby theorized Attachment Theory, which focuses on a behavioral system that demonstrates the response of an adult when a child signals which can lead to a strong trusting relationship (). Through attachment infants develop strong emotional bonds with others, which can result in a more positive outcome later in life.
The concept of infant-mother attachment is as important to the child as the birth itself. The effect this relationship has on a child shall affect that child for its entire life. A secure attachment to the mother or a primary caregiver is imperative for a child’s development. Ainsworth’s study shows that a mother is responsive to her infant’s behavioral cues which will develop into a strong infant-mother attachment. This will result in a child who can easily, without stress, be separated from his mother and without any anxiety. Of course the study shows a child with a weak infant-mother relationship will lead to mistrust, anxiety, and will never really be that close with the mother. Without the right help, this child may harbor these ill feelings for life.
When babies are calmed by being comforted or fed, the brain’s stress-response systems are turned off. Babies’ brains begin to create the network of cells that help them learn to self-regulate.
John Bowlby’s attachment theory established that an infant’s earliest relationship with their primary caregiver or mother shaped their later development and characterized their human life, “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attachment style that an infant develops with their parent later reflects on their self-esteem, well-being and the romantic relationships that they form. Bowlby’s attachment theory had extensive research done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the mother-infant interactions specifically regarding the theme of an infant’s exploration of their surrounding and the separation from their mother in an experiment called the strange situation. Ainsworth defined the four attachment styles: secure, insecure/resistant, insecure/avoidant and disorganized/disoriented, later leading to research studies done to observe this behavior and how it affects a child in their adolescence and adulthood.
According to (Pittman, Keiley, & Kerpelman, 2011), Bowlby theorized that it is the interactions between people that form connections and develop attachments. There are four different types of attachments; secure, avoidant, and anxious ambivalent. When we look at this theory applied to children we see that a secure attachment is when children are most comfortable when their parents are around and are easy to soothe by the parents. Insecure or avoidant attachment is when the child doesn’t prefer to be near the parents and could care less if the parents are absent. This happened when the parents failed to meet their child’s needs, despite a child expressing their needs. Anxious ambivalent attachment is when the child won’t leave their parents side, even if it is to explore their surroundings, is distraught if the parents leave, and mistrusting if the parents try to comfort after leaving (Arnett, & Maynard,
Attachment theory states that a strong emotional and physical attachment or emotional bonding with at least one primary caregiver who is perceived as a source of security is critical to personal development of close, caring, and enduring relationships. Children who have not developed a secure attachment to their caregiver/parent are put at a great disadvantage for adulthood. Children unable to develop coping and social skills may never be able to properly attach to a partner, while secure attachment leads to a sense of being loved which results in safeguards against fear, insecurity, and inadequacy. Childhood insecurity or attachment difficulties lead to future intimate relationship problems; conversely, secure attachments lead to a positive
Attachment Theory The bond between a child and a caregiver is based on the child's need for safety, security, and protection, which is paramount in infancy and childhood (Bretherton, 1992). The ability to form emotional bonds in the early stages of infant development is a fundamental component of emotional development and a predictor of later interpersonal functioning (Hutchinson, 2013). John Bowlby, who initially began his study on attachment by observing animals, proposed that children attach to caregivers instinctively. Evolutionarily speaking, those who are able to remain close and attached to their caregivers were more likely to survive through to the reproductive stages and develop healthy attachments in their adulthood (Fraley, 2004; Hutchinson, 2013).
Attachment theory is the idea that a child needs to form a close relationship with at least one primary caregiver. The theory proved that attachment is necessary to ensure successful social and emotional development in an infant. It is critical for this to occur in the child’s early infant years. However, failed to prove that this nurturing can only be given by a mother (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Many aspects of this theory grew out of psychoanalyst, John Bowlby’s research. There are several other factors that needed to be taken into account before the social worker reached a conclusion; such as issues surrounding poverty, social class and temperament. These factors, as well as an explanation of insecure attachment will be further explored in this paper.
(Early infant attachment is an important phenomena to study as it is connected to later child development). Early infant attachment is linked to cognitive, social, and emotional development (Pallini, Baiocco, Schneider, Madigan, & Atkinson, 2014). These three developmental aspects are significant in one’s later mental process capabilities, the relationships formed later in life, as well as their psychological stability. The attachments formed with caregivers in infancy are vital. Bowlby stated, “It is our first relationship, usually with our mother, that much of our future well-being is determined” (O’Gorman, 2012). It’s crucial for a child’s development to look at parenting styles and early infant attachment classifications which are made to caregivers. Most research focuses around mother-infant attachment making little known about the relationships made with fathers.
...n infant will form attachments for more than purely the need for food and that they crave care, comfort and safety. These early attachment theories prove that an infant needs a loving and protective relationship with a parent or primary caregiver and this relationship will continue to develop into childhood and may possibly have an impact in later life.
.Parent-infant attachment bonds form because the infant feels a sense comfortability and familiarness with the caregiver. These bonds also form because the parent provides the infant with basic needs. psychologists that have studied attachment differences have learned that infants reflect their individual temperament and the responsiveness of the parent. Psychologists have also learned that children are either securely or insecurely attached. Childhood abuse and neglect can greatly affect attachment. Neglect and abuse can prevent attachments from forming. Also, there is a chance that the child will have problems in the future with creating attachments.
Dr. Sigmund Freud thought the experiences in the first five years were the most critical for the development of personality. It is where it all begins. We all go through stresses in life but it is the well-developed adult that is able to handle stress and how they handle it. It all starts with attachment between the caregiver and the infant. The emotional bond that forms between an infant and a primary caregiver is called attachment. Bonding is a continuation of the relationship that began during pregnancy. The physical and chemical changes that were happening in the body of a mother remind her of the presence of that little person who was growing inside her. Birth reinforces that bond and gives it validity. Now she can see, feel, and talk to the little person that she knew only as a movement in her belly and the heartbeat she heard through the ultra sound. Bonding allows her to transfer her love for the infant inside to the outside. Inside, she gave her blood and outside, she gives her milk, her attention with her eyes, hands and voice. Bonding brings mothers and newborns back together. Attachment is a very important development in the social and emotional life of the infant, usually forming within the first six months of the infant’s life and showing up in a number of ways during the second six months, such as wariness of strangers and fear of being separated from the caregiver. According to psychologist Mary Ainsworth, attachment is a connection between two people that creates a bond. It is that bond that causes the desire for contact with that person and the feeling of distress when separation occurs from that person. This special tie between two human beings that bind them together is what attachment is. Attachment aids a n...
For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to become a teacher and change the lives of young children through education. I not only love teaching, but I also love learning. Teaching is my greatest passion. According to Carbonneau (2008), “passion appears to be an important concept to consider in education because the teaching profession requires teachers to invest time, energy, and their hearts in their teaching” (p. 2). The field of education requires teachers to have a strong passion but also to continue to add to their pedagogy and grow professionally constantly. A teacher’s passion is fueled by several factors, and these can help guide one in his or her quest to because a better educator. One thing that ignites my passion is being
“Ainsworth and Witting (1969) devised the strange situation to be able to test the nature of attachment systematically” Cardwell, M. et.al (2000). They found three attachment types, secure attachment, insecure-avoidant and insecure –resistant. They found that the different attachments had different effects on a child’s behaviour. Bowlby’s theory talks about having a secure base which allows a child to explore its environment.... ...
Attachment occurs in stages. The first stage is pre-attachment, which occurs from birth to 6 weeks. During this stage newborns get an adult’s attention through smiling, crying, babbling, and making eye (Divecha, 2017). Although, they are not attached to their mother yet, they feel soothed and calm when they are carried by her or feel her presence (Divecha 2017). The second stage occurs between 6 weeks and eight months. The infant begins to develop trust in his or her mother and relies on her all of the time. When the child is comforted by the mother, they begin to smile because they feel trust (Divecha, 2017). The infant loves the company of their parent or caregiver and gets distressed when attention is not given to them (McLeod,