18.2: Attachment Theory

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Amanda Taintor & Wendy Ruiz

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Bowlby

Attachment theory was developed initially in the 1940s by John Bowlby, a British psychoanalyst who attempted to understand the intense distress experienced by infants who had been separated from their parents. Bowlby (1969) observed that infants would go to extraordinary lengths to prevent separation from their parents or reestablish proximity to a missing parent. For example, he noted that children who had been separated from their parents would often cry, call for their parents, refuse to eat or play, and stand at the door in desperate anticipation of their parents' return. At the time of Bowlby's initial writings, psychoanalytic writers held that these expressions were manifestations of immature defense mechanisms operating to repress emotional pain. However, Bowlby observed that such expressions are common to many mammalian species and speculated that these responses to separation might serve an evolutionary function.[1]

Phases of Attachment

According to Bowlby, there are 4 phases of attachment (table 1^{^[2]}). Infants and Toddlers go through stages or milestones similar to physical, cognitive, and language development stages.

Bowlby Phases of Attachment
Stage	Age	Characteristics
Pre-attachment Phase	Birth - 6 weeks	The innate signals attract the caregiver (grasping, gazing, crying, smiling while looking into the adult's eyes). When the baby responds positively, the caregivers remain close by. The adults encourage the infants to remain close as it comforts them. Babies recognize the mother's fragrance, voice, and face. They are not yet attached to the mother and don't mind being left with unfamiliar adults as they have no fear of strangers.
Attachment in Making	6 weeks to 6 to 8 months	Infants respond differently to familiar caregivers than to strangers. The baby would smile more to the mother, babble to her, and become quiet more quickly whenever picked by the mother. The infant learns that their actions affect the behavior of those around them. They tend to develop a "Sense of Trust" where they expect the caregiver's response when signaled. They do not protest when they get separated from their caregiver.
Clear Cut	6 to 8 months - 18 months - 2 Years	The attachment to a familiar caregiver becomes evident. Babies show "separation anxiety" and get upset when an adult they rely on leaves them. This anxiety increases between 6 -15 months, and its occurrence depends on the temperament and the context of the infant and the behavior of the adult. The child would show signs of distress if the mother leaves, but with the supportive and sensitive nature of the caretaker, this anxiety could be reduced.
Formation of Reciprocal Relationship	18 months to 2 years	With the rapid growth in representation and language by 2 years, the toddler can understand a few factors that influence the parent's coming and going and predict their return, leading to a decline in separation protests. The child can negotiate with the caregiver to alter their goals via requests and persuasions. The child depends less on the caregiver along with age.

[1] Attachment Through the Life Course by R. Chris Fraley is licensed under CC: BY-NC-SA

^{^[2]} https://www.gracepointwellness.org/82-parenting/article/10118-infancy-emotional-and-social-development-social-connections