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Attachment theory, a psychological, evolutionary and ethological theory, is one of the most important conceptual frameworks in understanding relationships between humans. The principal tenet in attachment theory is that young children need to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for normal social, cognitive, and emotional development.[1]

John Bowlby originally developed the theory of attachment, in the 1970s and 1980s.[2] The British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst attempted to understand the intense distress experienced by infants when separated from their caregivers.[3] He observed that infants would engage in a wide range of behaviours, such as crying, clinging, and searching when separated from their caregivers as an attempt to prevent separation and to re-establish proximity. Through his observation, he was able to conclude that these behaviours are common among the mammalian species and have an evolutionary function.[4]

Attachment theory posits that infants are inherently motivated to stay close to at least one primary caregiver when menaced, while caregivers are naturally motivated to provide their offspring support, safety, and comfort in stressful situations.[5] These expressions may have evolved to increase the probability of survival of the child and appear to be universal across cultures.[6] Children tend to experience various stages of attachment throughout their development.

There are 4 stages of attachment: pre-attachment (birth to 6 weeks), indiscriminate attachment (approximately 6 weeks to 7 months), discriminate attachment (7 months to 9 months), and multiple attachments (10+ months).[7] During the indiscriminate stage, children begin to use attachment figures (familiar people) as a secure base to explore the world and return to in times of threat. Parental responses lead to the development of patterns of attachment.

The developmental psychologist Mary Ainsworth, a student of Bowlby, defined an attachment bond as an emotional connection of a child to her caregiver, which is long-lasting, person-specific, and filled with emotions. [8] She introduced the concept of the "secure base" and developed a theory of a number of attachment patterns in infants: secure attachment, avoidant attachment and anxious/ambivalent attachment. A fourth pattern, disorganised attachment, was identified later. Disruption of early life attachment, due to neglect, abuse, and maltreatment could have severe consequences throughout life, including among others, psychopathology.[9]

Moreover, the repetitive interaction between the child and the main caregiver also contributes to the child’s cognitive development, namely internal working models, which guide their feelings, thoughts, and expectations in later relationships.[10]

In the 1980s, the theory was extended to attachments in adults. Other interactions may be construed as including components of attachment behaviour; these include peer relationships at all ages, romantic and sexual attraction, and responses to the care needs of infants, the sick and elderly.

During Bowlby’s work on attachment, he and his colleague, Collin Murray Parkes, also extended attachment theory in the understanding of grief and loss.[11] Kubler-Ross’s popular theory, the five stages of grief, preceded Bowlby’s four stages of grief.[12] Attachment theory explains how our attachment style can influence the experience of grief.

To formulate a comprehensive theory of the nature of early attachments, Bowlby explored a range of fields, including evolutionary biology, object relations theory (a tenet of psychoanalysis), control systems theory, and the fields of ethology and cognitive psychology. After preliminary papers from 1958 onwards, Bowlby published the full theory in the trilogy Attachment and Loss (1969–82).[13] In the early days of the theory, academic psychologists criticized Bowlby, and the psychoanalytic community ostracised him for his departure from psychoanalytical tenets. Moreover, other psychologists, including Dr. J.R. Harris, have pointed to other limitations of Bowlby’s theory of attachment. They claimed that Bowlby’s theory overemphasizes nurture and disregards social class, gender, and culture on personality development.[14]Later criticisms of attachment theory relate to temperament, the complexity of social relationships, and the limitations of discrete patterns for classifications.[15]

Although, attachment theory has its own limitations, it has since become the dominant foundation for a solid understanding of the self and others, the development of social, emotional, and cognitive abilities in children, and the connection formed with close others.[16]Attachment theory has been significantly modified as a result of empirical research, but the concepts have become generally accepted. Attachment theory has formed the basis of new therapies and informed existing ones, and its concepts have been used in the formulation of social and childcare policies to support the early attachment relationships of children. [1] McLeod, S. A. (2017, Feb 05). Attachment theory. Simply psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html

[2] Gross, J. T., Stern, J. A., Brett, B. E., & Cassidy, J. (2017). The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research. Social Development, 26(4), 661–678. doi: 10.1111/sode.12242

[3] Cherry, K. (2019, Jul 17). Bowlby & Ainsworth: What is attachment theory? Verywellmind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337

[4] Cherry, K. (2019, Jul 17). Bowlby & Ainsworth: What is attachment theory? Verywellmind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337

[5] Gross, J. T., Stern, J. A., Brett, B. E., & Cassidy, J. (2017). The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research. Social Development, 26(4), 661–678. doi: 10.1111/sode.12242

[6] McLeod, S. A. (2017, Feb 05). Attachment theory. Simply psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html

[7] Cherry, K. (2019, Jul 17). Bowlby & Ainsworth: What is attachment theory? Verywellmind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337

[8] Gross, J. T., Stern, J. A., Brett, B. E., & Cassidy, J. (2017). The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research. Social Development, 26(4), 661–678. doi: 10.1111/sode.12242

[9] Golding, P., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2019). The early biopsychosocial development of boys and the origins of violence in males. Infant Mental Health Journal, 40(1), 5–22. doi: 10.1002/imhj.21753

[10] Gross, J. T., Stern, J. A., Brett, B. E., & Cassidy, J. (2017). The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research. Social Development, 26(4), 661–678. doi: 10.1111/sode.12242

[11] Ackerman, C. E. (2020, Nov 02). ''What is attachment theory? Bowlby’s 4 stages explained.'' Positive psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory

[12] Ackerman, C. E. (2020, Nov 02). ''What is attachment theory? Bowlby’s 4 stages explained.'' Positive psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory

[13] Bowlby, J. (1969/1982). Attachment and loss: Vol 1. Attachment. New York, NY: Basic Books.

[14] Ackerman, C. E. (2020, Nov 02). ''What is attachment theory? Bowlby’s 4 stages explained.'' Positive psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory

[15] Ackerman, C. E. (2020, Nov 02). ''What is attachment theory? Bowlby’s 4 stages explained.'' Positive psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory

[16] Ackerman, C. E. (2020, Nov 02). ''What is attachment theory? Bowlby’s 4 stages explained.'' Positive psychology.

https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory