John Bowlby And John Bowlby's Ethological Theory Assignment

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Recommended: Analyse the significance of attachment on children’s development

Bowlby’s Ethological Theory of attachment is the theory developed by John Bowlby stating that an infant’s emotional tie to his or her caregiver is an evolved response that promotes survival (Berk, L., 2014, p 196). Bowlby found that the relationship a child has with its mother or caregiver may directly affect how the child is able to form relationships in the future. Bowlby theorized that the bond an infant had with its primary caregiver could also be the reason for a child’s maladjusted behavior if the caregiver deprived the child of attention (van der Horst, F. P., & van der Veer, R. 2010, p 25-45). If the attention that a child is receiving from his or her caregiver is lacking then this may very well affect the behavior of the child in …show more content…

This is not dependent on genes alone. A child may become attached to the primary caregiver, however the caregiver does not necessarily have to be the parent. This attachment is represented in the relationships of children and their adoptive parents. Children will become attached to the primary caregiver regardless of the parentage if that caregiver is the source of protection and reassurance. This attachment may be generated from the release of tension that is gained from the soothing voice and touch of the primary caregiver and is not related to the biology of the child. If the child does not recive this type of attention then the child may grow to be detached and not able to form trusting bonds in their later years.
In conclusion, John Bowlby theory of attachment finds that a child will become attached to the primary caregiver based on the care that the child receives from the care giver (Berk, 2014). That attachment does not have to be the parent, but the person in the child’s life that gives that child the warmth and security it seeks. This bond may change as the child grows but the need for security will remain. In the event that a child does not have such a sense of security, the child may suffer from maladjusted behavior overall how the child engages in social situations later in life (Tayler, C., 2015 pp

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