Child Attachment Research

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Recommended: Relevance of the study of motivation in education

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 …show more content…

Several studies have been done that focus on parent-child attachment in the early stages of life and the effects it has on self-regulation. A majority of the research focuses on how a child’s attachment early in life has an impact on their social and emotional development and learning. It is mainly about understanding how early bonds with parental figures affect a child’s behavior. The article Attachment Theory, Teacher Motivation & Pastoral Care: A Challenge for Teachers and Academics focuses taking a psychodynamic approach, teaching as a career choice is investigated as an expression of a need to be cared for as well as a desire to care for others and uses the attachment theory as a diagnostic tool in mapping student and teacher relationships (Riley, 2013). According to Riley …show more content…

This is especially important to future work in the field of education because it helps educators to understand how relationships can affect student interactions an achievement in the classroom. Children need to have a support system to feel they can be successful inside and outside of the school environment. Often, the teacher becomes that maternal figure for many children who lack the love outside of school needed to form an attachment. For example, if a student does not have a bond with his or her mother, he or she can easily misbehave with a teacher who shows no affection but grows tremendously with another who fills the role of a mother. There is still much controversy on how influential early attachments are across a lifespan as well as exactly how attachments are transmitted from mother to child. However, research shows that having someone around who can make sense of one’s feelings, hopes, and intentions makes a big difference (Music,

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  • The Attachment Theory and Factors Damaging to Attachment

    1156 Words  | 3 Pages

    Relationships are the building block for personality and are significant in children’s ability to grow into substantial individuals who can thrive in an often harsh world. Constructing lasting and fulfilling relationships is an integral part to development as the interpersonal bonds forged are not only highly sought after but also set the ground work for all upcoming expressive interactions. Relationships and attachment go hand in hand as attachment is the strong and lasting linkage established between a child and his or her caregiver. Moreover, attachment significantly influences a large capacity of ones make up as it these first relationships that teaches morals, builds self-esteem, and develops a support system. The pioneers of Attachment Theory realized early on that human beings are not solely influenced by drives but that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers greatly impact their ability to forge lasting relationships later in life. John Bowlby was first to introduce this theory to the masses in the 1950’s, and later Mary Ainsworth conducted further research to expand on Bowlby’s theory which proclaims that attachment is a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). The attachment bond theory by both Bowlby and Ainsworth focuses on the significance of the relationship between babies and their caretakers which research has suggested is accountable for influencing impending interactions, firming or injuring our capabilities to concentrate, being aware of our emotional states, self-soothing capabilities, and the capacity to be resilient in the face of hardship. Additionally, this research has provided a framework for assisting in describing these att...

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  • Comparing John Erikson And Mary Ainsworth And John Bowlby

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    The attachment theory, presented by Mary Ainsworth in 1969 and emerged by John Bowlby suggests that the human infant has a need for a relationship with an adult caregiver, and without a subsequent, development can be negatively impacted (Hammonds 2012). Ainsworth proposes that the type of relationship and “attachment” an infant has with the caregiver, can impact the social development of the infant. As stated by Hammonds (2012), attachment between a mother and a child can have a great impact on the child 's future mental

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  • Attachment Theory: Systematic Analysis Of The Family Of Origin

    1912 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first topic that came up in the interview relates to idea of attachment theory. Attachment theory explains the human’s way of relating to a caregiver and receives an attachment figures relating to the parent, and children. In addition, the concept explains the confidence and ability for a child to free explore their environment with a place to seek support, protection, and comfort in times of distress (Levy, Ellison, Scott, and Bernecker, 2010, p. 193). Within attachment theory explains different types of attachment styles that children experience during early childhood. These attachment styles affect the relationships they continue to build in adulthood. The best attachment style happens when the parent is attuned to the child during his or her early childhood called secure attachment (Reyes, 2010, p. 174). In order for complete secure attachment, the child needs to feel safe, seen, and soothed. Any relationship that deviates from this model represents the anxious or insecure attachment. This means that parents or caregivers are inconsistently responsive to the children. Children who have these parents are usually confused and insecure. Some children experience a dismissive attachment where they

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  • Infant Attachment Essay

    2096 Words  | 5 Pages

    It has been proposed that infant attachment styles do not change after the first year of life, the following essay will argue against this prompt in that ones attachment style will change continuously throughout life. Attachment theory is based on the joint work of Bowlby and Ainsworth (Bretherton, 1992). In recent years the idea of ‘attachment’ has become and increasingly popular debate within developmental psychology (Bretherton, 1992). Attachment theory provides an explanation on how parent and child relationships are formed and the important role they play in child development. However majority of the research into attachment has focused on identifying the stability of attachment rather then identifying the possible insatiability of

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  • Understanding and Addressing Infant Crying: A Psychological Perspective

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

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  • Attachment Theory

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sroufe, L.A., & Waters, E. (1977). Attachment as an organizational construct. Child Development. 48, 1-5, 7, 10-12.

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  • SOCIAL BONDING THEORY

    647 Words  | 2 Pages

    Attachment is a key element in the social bond, which consists of “affectionate bonds between an individual and his/her significant others” (Tibbetts, 2012, p. 163). For Hirschi, parents and schools are very important and critical elements of attachment. Those who form close attachments to their parents and schools usually experience greater levels of social control. For example, Nannie Doss did not have any attachments especially with her parents. Hirschi says, “the stronger the early attachments are, the probability of acting inappropriately decreases” (Tibbetts, 2012, p.163). Also, Nannie Doss did not have any social interactions with her friends or peers because her father did not allow her to attend school and have friends. Therefore, Na...

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  • The Importance of Attachment for the Children's Development

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    Psychologist, Mary Ainsworth expanded upon Bowlby's original work. She conducted a study labelled the ‘Strange Situation’. In the study, based upon the children’s reactions, Ainsworth described three major styles of attachment: secure attachment, ambivalent-insecure attachment, and avoidant-insecure attachment. Work by Stroufe and Waters in 1977, further supported Ainsworth's attachment styles and have indicated that attachment styles also have an impact on behaviours later in life (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Researchers have found strengths in attachment patterns established early in life can lead to a number of outcomes. For example, children who are securely attached as infants tend to develop stronger self-esteem and better self-reliance as they grow older. These children also tend to be more independent, perform better in school, have successful social relationships, and experience less depression and anxiety (Birns, 1999, p. 13).

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  • Bowlby’s Attachment Theory

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Attachment is as essential for the child’s psychological well-being as food is for physical health,” claimed Bowlby, B (2001, p.54). Bowlby claimed in this statement that attachment is a necessary thing that a child needs in order to develop healthily. There is evidence from other theorists who support Bowlby’s theory of attachment, such as Harlow, whose approach is based upon a caregiver’s sensitivity and attachment. Ainsworth is another theorist whose research supports Bowlby’s theory of attachment. In her strange situation study, she tested for the attachment types and what effects they had on a child’s behaviour.

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  • Child Attachment

    1630 Words  | 4 Pages

    A child will often look towards the adult figures in his life for support and guidance, however, sometimes an adult might abused the trust of the child or fail to protect the child from harm. This might lead the child to believe that no one could be trusted and the only way to stay safe is to stay away from others. Joe described how he was part of a church group for kids from troubled families and his childhood. For example, Joe came from a trouble family and there is a possibility that he did not have a strong attachment to his family, because he mentioned that he never told anyone about his sexual orientation since it was a topic that no one talked about (Bederman & McCarthy, 2015). However, there is a possibility that Joe had an strong attachment

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  • Attachment Proposal: The Children's Center

    401 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Children’s Center is a private, not-for-profit mental health clinic located in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Their mission is to provide “comprehensive mental health care to enhance the emotional well-being of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families.” They provide affordable services and subsidize families in need with charitable funds. It is the largest agency of its kind and provides care to over 2,000 families a year, helping children under the age of seven to improve in managing their feelings, learning to play, making friends, and succeeding in school and at home.

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  • Teaching: My Passion And Passion In Special Education

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    My interest in teaching started at a young age. I used to watch my teachers in awe as they were able to find new ways to get their students involved and excited to learn. Their enthusiasm to teach was so inspiring. I would often find myself using that same fervor as I grasped each concept. I, then, was able to relay it to my fellow classmates as a peer tutor. To this day, becoming a teacher is a passion that flows through me. However, my enthusiasm and passion are not the only reasons I would be a good teacher. I aspire to see a student’s ability to grasp the knowledge they never before understood. I aspire to see a student succeed at something they never thought they ever could. I aspire to not only support students with academic skills, but also with life lessons about the value of community, pride in one’s own ethnicity, good citizenship, sportsmanship, and more. I aspire to play a fundamental role in ensuring that all students from all cultures and learning abilities have the opportunity to be guided in a positive learning

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  • Reflection To Teaching Mathematics In An Elementary Classroom

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coming into the teaching profession not knowing a lot, I was able to use previous experience from previous teachers to understand how important it is to understand whether or not students really understand the subject being taught. Having a passion to teacher also improves how much work teachers have to put into to make sure students understand. Growing up, I had the opportunity to experience what it was like to have a teacher was passionate about mathematics. This particular opportunity showed me how much effect he was able to put on his students performance, but most importantly how much effort he had to put into things to see a change in his students work.

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  • Learning Capacity In Learning

    2162 Words  | 5 Pages

    Teachers have the unique opportunity to support students’ academic and social development at all levels of schooling (Baker et al., 2008; Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998; McCormick, Cappella, O’Connor, & McClowry, in press). According to the attachment theory (Ainsworth, 1982; Bowlby, 1969), positive relationships enable learners to feel safe and secure in their learning environments which helps providing scaffolding for social and academic skills. Learners who have positive teacher-student relationships may have the feeling of closeness, warmth and positivity which will increase their learning ability (Hamre & Pianta 2001). Students will use this relationship as a secure base for them to explore the classroom both academically and socially. Positive relationship with an adult may protect against the negative outcomes associated with children who stay in poverty (Gallagher 2014). According to Murray and Malmgren (2005), low-income students who have strong teacher-student relationships have higher academic achievement than peers who do not have a positive relationship with a teacher. Therefore, if a learner is born in a rural area, he/she may still able to have great learning capacity if he/she has a positive relationships with everyone in the

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  • Parental Involvement in Child's Education

    2556 Words  | 6 Pages

    Telling your child's hobbies, pets, as well as learning difficulties and strengths will provide for a more intimate school year (Spencer, 2001). One of the ways in which parents play a critical role in their children?s social development is by encouraging their interactions with other youth (Updegraff, 2001). If children are able to work in group settings, this will not only help the child get along with other students, but it will also lessen the amount of disruptions in class thereby making it easier for the teacher to teach (Barbour, 1997). Parents need to stress the importance of little things your child can do to smooth the teacher?s day and help himself learn, such as listening when classmates answer questions, writing his name on assignments, and keeping his desk and work area tidy (Spencer, 2001). Parents can help your children avoid interrupting. Teachers love enthusiasm but yelling out too often will cause unneeded disruptions. Explain the good times to speak, such as when the teacher is inviting questions and the not so good times, such as when the teacher is talking to another student or giving directions (Spencer, 2001). Practicing these classroom manners will help with less disruptions and a better teaching and learning environment. Parental involvement promotes emotional growth of a child. The attachment between a child and parent is a long-lasting, emotional, learned response. It is the attachment in a parent and child relationship that forms the basis for a child to trust or not to trust their environment (Gestwicki, 2000). This proper attachment is essential for a child to trust other adults, such as their teachers and also to trust other students and make friends.

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