Bowlbys Theory of Attachments - 854 Words

John Bowlby’s Theory Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal. 1. THE THEORY * Bowlby’s theory suggests that attachment is evolutionary and is needed to aid survival. * He did observational research to link orphans with psychological damage. * Babies are helpless and rely on adults. They make instinctive decisions because they haven’t actually learnt anything yet. Bowlby said that babies must be genetically programmed to form attachments with others because this will help them to survive. * Five key aspects to Bowlby’s theory: * Attachment is adaptive and aids survival. * Babies have an innate need for care – social releasers (built†¦show more content†¦* The results show a link between deprivation and criminal behaviour but there may be other causes and factors. * Bowlby was asking the participants to look back and recall separations (retrospective data). These memories may not be accurate. Bowlby designed and conducted the experiment himself. This may have lead to biased results, particularly as he was responsible for making the diagnosis of affectionless psychopathy. * A bigger sample size should’ve been used to obtain more accurate and reliable results. 3. EVALUATION OF HIS THEORY * Bowlby’s ideas have had a great influence on the way researchers thought about attachment and much of the discussion of his theory has focused on his belief in monotropy. Although Bowlby may not dispute young children from multiple attachments, he still contends that the attachment to the mother is unique in this it is the first to appear and remains the strongest of all. * Schaffer and Emerson (1964) noted that specific attachments started at about 8 months and, very shortly thereafter, the infants became attached to other people. By 18 months very few (13%) were attached to only one person; some had five or more attachments. This criticises Bowlby’s idea of having to have continuous care from one mother figure as well as Bowlby’s view of the critical period and monotropy. * Rutter (1978) points out that several indicators of attachment (such asShow MoreRelatedBowlbys Theory Of Attachment1378 Words   |  6 PagesBowlby (1969) a nd his theory of attachment: An example of an extreme nature theorist is Bowlby (1969) and his theory of attachment. Bowlby believed that all mental health and behavioural problems could be linked to early childhood health. Bowlby’s theory suggests that all children are biologically pre-programmed to form relationships and attachments with others before they are even born for survival and that the fear of strangers in babies and young children represents an important survival mechanismRead MoreBowlbys Attachment Theory And Attachment1274 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Simply Psychology, Bowlby’s attachment theory says an individual can have an attachment with someone that is not shared. Attachment is characterized by behaviors in children such as seeking proximity with their attachment figure when upset. Bowlby’s experiments led him to see the importance of a child and mother relationship. (Saul McLeod, 2009) With more research later came four phases of attachment. Phase one is from birth to two months, this stage is where babies seek comfort, andRead MoreBowlbys Attachment Theory Essay1943 Words   |  8 PagesBowlbys Attachment Theory Findings form animal studies were a powerful influence on Bowlbys thoughts. He suggested too that there was a critical period for the development of attachments between infant and care giver. According to Bowlby infants display an innate tendency to become attached to one particular individual. He called this monotropy. He suggested this tendency was qualitatively different from any subsequent attachment a child might form. However, heRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Theories of Attachment Theory949 Words   |  4 Pagesdo not develop in a void or as â€Å"individual monads† but as members of interacting systems. Bowlby developed his theory on attachment for several decades, and at a time where any dealings with childhood trauma were still rigorously influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis through the likes of psychoanalysts such Anna Freud or Melanie Klein. Even Winnicott was â€Å"revulsed† upon reading Bowlbys papers (siegel). It certainly was a bitter pill to swallow for psychoanalysts who had been repeating since FreudRead MoreModifications of Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesModifications of Bowlbys Attachment Theory Bowlbys original theory of attachment was concerned with the bonding relationship that develops between an infant and his primary caregiver. He believed the process of bonding to have a biological basis as the genes of those infants who successfully sought the protection of a caregiver (from predators and other dangers) will have survived and been passed on. Bowlby also formulated the Maternal Deprivation hypothesis (1953)Read MoreBowlby’s Attachment Theory Essay example1156 Words   |  5 PagesBowlby’s attachment theory has greatly influenced practice. His theory of attachment explains the importance of having a figure that the child shares a strong bond with. Having an attachment can significantly support a child’s development as Barbara Woods suggests that â€Å"his theory of attachment proposed that attachment is innate in both infants and mothers, and that the formation of this attachment is crucial for the infants development† Wood, B (2001, p.53). Bowlby believed that forming an attachmentRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Attachment Theory Essay2161 Words   |  9 PagesJohn 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, â€Å"from the cradle to the grave† (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). The attac hment 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-infantRead MoreLearning Theory Of Attachment And The Other Being Bowlbys Evolution Theory1692 Words   |  7 Pageslater life. Attachment theories are studied and the effect of no attachment or disrupted attachment is studied and aimed to be resolved. John Bowlby defined attachment as the emotional and physical connection that makes two people stay close to one another. It is between children and their primary caregivers (Psychologistworld.com, 2016). This essay will discuss and evaluate two theories of attachment: one being Dollard and Miller’s learning theory of attachment and the other being Bowlby’s evolutionRead MoreJohn Bowlbys Path to Developing the Attachment Theory Essay593 Words   |  3 Pagesmany different theories on this subject, but a well-known theory is the Attachment Theory written by John Bowlby in the mid-twentieth century. John Bowlby born on February 26, 1907, was a twentieth century psychologist who contributed too many modern day psychoanalytic theories. At a young age he hardly saw his mother due to the fact that she believed, like many other mothers at that time, affection and attention would lead to spoiling of the child. So he developed a deep attachment to his nanny sinceRead MoreHow Has Bowlby’s Original Formulation of Attachment Theory Essay example2374 Words   |  10 PagesBowlby’s (1946) original formulation of attachment theory drew upon both psychoanalytic and ethol ogical theory and generated a significant amount of subsequent research. The core principle behind Bowlby’s theory was that the formation of a stable, healthy attachment with a caregiver in the early years of life is the key for an infants’ future emotional, social and cognitive development. Bowlby explained that this primary attachment relationship develops because infants need a mechanism to ensure