Attachment is one of the strongest emotional ties that human beings experience, which entails seeking closeness with loved ones, especially in moments of sadness and insecurity. Although the concept of attachment has its origin in the theories about love proposed by Sigmund Freud, it really became relevant from the studies of the British psychoanalyst John Bowlby developed between 1969 and 1980. The result of the work carried out by Bowlby in the institutions that housed to children who were without a maternal figure, led him to formulate Attachment Theory, which is considered the most profound research that has been done so far on this topic.
John Bowlby (1907-1990) believed that the attachment formed from early childhood is fundamental to the subsequent emotional development of the individual. Furthermore, he stated that it is a lasting connection that occurs naturally in human beings. In this Psychology-online article, we will explain in detail the Bowlby’s theory of attachment, its stages and its main characteristics.
What is John Bowlby’s theory of attachment
The psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby developed attachment theory, in which he states that experiences and connections that are created in the early childhood They play a fundamental role in the development and subsequent behavior of human beings.
What does attachment theory propose?
John Bowlby’s theory states that infants develop an attachment style according to the way they relate to their caregiver. Bowlby maintained that attachment is part of human nature. In fact, it was based on the belief that our ancestors would not have been able to survive if it were not for the emotional ties they had and that drove them to work as a team to protect each other.
Bowlby also relied on the work of Mary Ainsworth for the development of attachment theory and was strongly influenced by Lorenz’s imprinting theory. Therefore, from the moment they are born, boys and girls already come with a biological reprogramming to establish the links necessary that will help you survive.
Next, we will see other postulations of Bowlby’s theory:
- It suggests that attachment behaviors They activate in the face of any threat or risksuch as insecurity, fear or separation.
- He states that he fear towards strange people is a innate survival mechanism and that has served for the preservation of the human species. In this article you will find more information about .
- The you drink show certain behaviors that activate proximity with the caregiver or the attachment figure, which is usually the mother. For example, laughing, crying or crawling are behaviors that are only developed by human beings to activate the alerts of the caregiver or parents.
For all these reasons, Bowlby’s theory is based on the fact that human beings, babies and mothers, maintain an innate need to have mutual contact. In this sense, for the baby, the caregiver is a secure base that allows him or her to explore the world with confidence. If this connection is interrupted, this can lead to serious consequences for the behavior and subsequent emotional development of the individual.
Phases of Bowlby’s theory
According to John Bowlby theory, attachment is not formed immediately at birth but rather goes through different stages or phases. Furthermore, the most common thing is that they occur in the mother-child relationship, although they also occur between the baby and her caregiver. Thus, the phases of attachment according to Bowlby’s theory are the following:
1. Pre-attachment phase
The first of the stages of Bowlby’s attachment theory that occurs in the first weeks of life. In it, the baby accepts any person who can offer him security and comfort. This means that the boy or girl does not have any preference for someone specific. In this phase, it is normal for the infant develop innate behaviors to get your caregiver’s attention. Furthermore, it is a fairly weak bond, in which the first signs of attachment are barely appreciated.
2. Training phase
Typically, the second phase of Bowlby’s theory occurs between 6 weeks of age and 8 months. In it, the first signs of anxiety before separation of his caregiver. However, special attention from the infant towards the maternal figure has not yet been observed. In fact, he does not reject interaction with other adults.
3. Attachment Phase
This phase of Bowlby’s attachment theory begins at 6 to 8 months of age and usually lasts until 2 years of age. This is the stage in which the true emotional bond of attachment is formed. The infant will become angry if he is separated from his mother and will even show signs of physical rejection towards other adults. In this phase, the boy or girl will do everything possible to get the attention of his mother.
4. Phase of reciprocal relations
Normally, this stage begins at 2 years of age. In it, the little boy or girl identifies that the mother’s absence is not permanent and, therefore, will begin to calm your anxiety a little. It is common to see that in this phase of Bowlby’s theory, the minor plans the mother’s return to him, especially due to the appearance of language as a means of communication.
At the end of this stage, a solid emotional bond and that will be permanent. Now, the infant knows that his mother and father are there for him, even if they are not always physically with him or her.
Characteristics of attachment according to Bowlby’s theory
According to John Bowlby, the 4 main characteristics of attachment are the following:
- Maintaining proximity: Desire to remain close to the people with whom the bond has been established.
- Secure base: Allows you to explore and discover the world with greater confidence by feeling greater security and autonomy.
- He refuge to seek solace in the face of any threat, fear or insecurity.
- The separation anxiety that is generated, not by the attachment itself, but by the feeling of its absence.
Types of attachment according to John Bowlby
Likewise, within the attachment theory postulated by John Bowlby, the psychologist stated that there are the following types of attachment:
- TOsecure attachment: One of the types of attachment in which the infant has the security that the caregiver or parent will not fail him or her. Therefore, he is healthy. This happens because the caregiver provided sufficient security to the minor, so assertive and safe communication is established. Likewise, the boy or girl will feel safe in everything around him or her.
- Anxious and ambivalent attachment: It is caused by a very overprotective or ambivalent caregiver, whose care does not generate enough security. The result will be an individual with a lot of anxiety, uncertainty and insecurity. People with this type of attachment develop a lot of fear of separation, do not usually explore their environment with confidence and prefer emotional distancing. In this article, we tell you.
- Avoidant attachment: It develops when caregivers do not provide a safe environment for the child. As a result, they develop emotional distancing and avoid contact. In the long run, this generates a lot of stress and even problems establishing interpersonal relationships. In this article you will find more information about it.
- Disorganized attachment: One of the types of attachment caused by negligent and careless behavior of the caregiver. The boy or girl does not trust him or her and may even show fear. This causes the child to feel insecure and have explosive reactions because he does not know how to assertively manage her emotions. Find out more about him in this article
Importance of secure attachment according to Bowlby
A secure attachment will be decisive in developing a healthy mental model in adults. In fact, he will allow you to manage your emotions and relationships with others. When a positive concept of attachment is developed from childhood, positive feelings of security, well-being and trust will be experienced.
For its part, if the mental model of attachment is negative, feelings such as distrust, anger and insecurity may arise. Therefore, it is key to understand the emotional bond between caregivers and their children to understand the importance of childhood in human interrelationships.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Bowlby, John. “Attachment and loss” Attachment, Editorial, Paidos, Spain. Pages: 247 – 285, 393 – 431.
- López, C., & Ramirez, M. (2017). Attachment. Chilean Journal of Family Medicine, 6(1), 20-24. http://www.revistachilenademedicinafamiliar.cl/index.php/sochimef/article/view/134
- Moneta, M (2014). Attachment and loss: rediscovering John Bowlby. Chilean journal of pediatrics. https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0370-41062014000300001&script=sci_arttext
- Olive, A. (2015). “Current state of attachment theory.” http://chitita.uta.cl/cursos/2012-1/0000636/recursos/r-9.pdf