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Strength of John Bowlby's attachment theory
Strengths of john bowlby attachment theory
John Bowlby's attachment theory and its implication
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In relation to the title, it is important in settings that EYPs are seen as caring and safe people to care for children; John Bowlby’s attachment theory shows us that it is important for not just the physical development of children but also for their holistic well-being. Bowlby believed that is was important that children had at least one strong caregiver who cared for their physical, emotional and social needs; Bowlby believed that through having this secure relationship it would enable the child to form other personal relationships. According to Teena Kamens ‘Psychology for Childhood Studies’ children require “Consistent, loving care from a parent/carer who is sensitive to the child’s particular needs enables children to feel secure and …show more content…
For example, a parent may be going through post-natal depression after birth, the EYP can be a source of support the mother throughout this time and help the mother and baby to attach and form a safe and secure relationship. According to Meggitt [2015], “Attachment can be difficult at first, especially in cases where it is hard for the adult and child to communicate; for example: the child is visually impaired and eye contact is absent, the child is hearing impaired and does not turn to the parent’s voice or the child has severe learning difficulties and needs many experiences of a person before bonding can become stable.” It can be especially hard for a parent to develop an attachment with a child when they are hearing impaired as they will find it difficult to experience the reflexes other children will, for example the startle reflex would sometimes be triggered by a noise and the parent would be able to comfort and calm the child however a child whose hearing is impaired will not receive the comfort from the reflex. In relation to the title, it is important for EYPs to provide support in these
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...
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
The influence of Bowlby’s attachment theory is relevant when dealing with transitions because it has informed people and practitioners about the importance of attachment and the key worker system. Bowlby’s attachment theory evolved to ensure children are protected and for their survival to be increased. Bowlby believed that a child’s first attachment is built quite early on and is normally formed with the mother. This relationship between the mother and the baby is the template for relationships in the future. It provides the child with an internal working model. If the child’s first attachment doesn’t have a positive effect then this can result in the child finding it difficult to form other attachments with practitioners, family members and friends. If the first attachment is secure and strong the child will be able to build relationships with other people without having a problem. According to Bowlby the cognitive development of the child is affected when early attachment is formed because it provides a secure base for exploration. Although Bowlby’s theory has a lot of positive aspects other theorists have research that disagrees with his work. Schaffer & Emerson
Following a serious injury, one needs to view this with suspicion and look a little deeper (Cooper, 2010).Additionally social workers need to support carers in developing behaviours which will promote attachment to the child. Communication and observation skills will play an important part in assessing and supporting the development of attachment theory (Crawford, 2011). The role of the father has even been recognised by the government. One such policy is the new leave system that caters for the father as well.
An infant’s initial contact with the world and their exploration of life is directly through the parent/ primary caregiver. As the child grows, learns, and develops, a certain attachment relationship forms between them and the principle adult present in this process. Moreover, this attachment holds huge implications concerning the child’s future relationships and social successes. Children trust that their parental figure will be there; as a result, children whom form proper attachments internalize an image of their world as stable, safe, and secure. These children will grow independent while at the same time maintaining a connection with their caregivers. (Day, 2006). However, when a child f...
Attachments are formed with parents; this contributes to give a sense of who we are and who we will become in later life. However where these attachments are broken the child needs to have a secure attachment established with an alternative adult care giver,...
No matter what, people form thousands of relationships to get through the ups and downs in life. To be frank, life would be pretty dull and empty without relationships. One of the most important relationships is the one that people form with their parents (Perry). Early family relationships are the foundation for adult relationships and a child’s personality (Perry; Greenberg). Alicia Lieberman, a psychology professor, said “The foundation for how a child feels about himself and the world is how he feels in his relationship with the primary caregiver” (Greenberg). According to Erik Erikson and the attachment theory, the bond between a caregiver and child has a huge impact on a child’s development because of social and emotional effects.
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.
Bowlby 's attachment theory is used a lot in settings as children gain strong bonds with the teachers and key workers in the setting. Having a secure attachment in the setting can have a variety of positive or negative impacts on the child depending on how emotionally attached they are. A strength of the attachment theory is that by children gaining attachment with their key worker it can help the practitioner support the child and meet their needs in the setting. By a child having an attachment to their key worker it can help their development as they are more engaged with the staff. Again research has shown that the quality of a child’s learning and the development of resilience can depend on the quality of their relationships both with their
...cal, emotional, and cognitive development for the child. The warmth and empathy shown to the child helps the child develop at a normative rate. While the attachment is important during infancy, it is also important to maintain the attachment throughout adolescence. Children who continue to share a secure attachment with the parent oftentimes have an easier time making friends and working through social issues (cite).
Attachment is an emotional bond that is from one person to another. The attachment theory is a psychological, an evolutionary and an ethological theory that is concerned with relationships between humans, specifically between mother and infant. A young infant has to develop a relationship with at least one of their primary caregivers for them to develop socially and emotionally. Social competence is the condition that possesses the social, emotional and intellectual skills and behaviours, the infant needs these to success as a member of society. Many studies have been focused on the Western society, but there are many arguments to whether or not this can be applicable to other cultures, such as the poorer countries.
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.
“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.
Most people find that there is no one that knows you better than you know yourself. We know our hopes, wishes and dreams better than anyone else, even our own parents, and we know what we are willing to do to get them. I chose to write about myself for this very reason. I believe that I know myself well enough to be able to analyze myself and understand why I am the way that I am.
Attachment theory was first described by theorist John Bowlby in 1969 as a ethological and evolutionary theory that suggests that an infant’s relationship with their mother or primary care giver shapes their development later in life especially how that that individual interacts with society. He believed that children are born biologically pre-programmed to form attachment with caregivers which is done to help the child survive and that behaviors occur naturally and are activated by certain factors that cause fear such as separation. He also suggested that attachment acted as an example for future relationships therefor disrupting it could cause serious consequences such as aggression, depression and the ability to show a concern for others(Boyd,