13.5.2: Bowlby's Attachment Theory
- Page ID
- 236101
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Define attachment according to Bowlby and explain its importance for emotional and social development.
- Describe the concept of a secure base and its role in healthy attachment.
- Identify and explain Bowlby’s four stages of attachment development.
Bowlby’s Theory
Bowlby's Stages of Attachment
Bowlby proposed that attachment develops in stages, each of which plays a crucial role in the child's emotional and social development. The stages outline how infants gradually build trust and security with their caregivers, shaping their ability to engage with the world around them.
Pre-Attachment (0-6 weeks)
The first stage occurs from birth to approximately six weeks, during which infants show little to no specific attachment to any particular caregiver. At this stage, infants are primarily focused on their own survival needs and respond to comfort from any available caregiver. Infants will cry to signal distress, seek physical closeness, and maintain eye contact, but there is no preference for a specific individual (Bowlby, 1969). This is the period of building the foundations for later attachment.
Attachment in the making (6 weeks to 6-8 months)
Around six weeks, infants begin to develop a preference for familiar caregivers. During this stage, infants start to recognize and distinguish between caregivers, showing signs of attachment, such as smiling or cooing at familiar faces. However, they are not yet fully distressed by separation from their primary caregiver. At this point, infants are still building trust and predictability in their relationships (Bowlby, 1969).
Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): This child is seeking comfort from an attachment figure. Image hosted by Pixabay is licensed CC0 1.0.
Clear-cut attachment (6-8 months to 18-24 months)
The clear-cut attachment phase is marked by strong emotional attachment to primary caregivers. This is when separation anxiety begins to emerge, as infants start to show distress when separated from their attachment figures. The attachment figure becomes a secure base for exploration, meaning that the infant uses the caregiver as a source of comfort when distressed, while also seeking to explore their environment, with the caregiver’s presence providing reassurance (Bowlby, 1969). Attachment behaviors, such as clinging and seeking proximity, become more evident.
Reciprocal relationships (18-24 months and on)
In the final stage, the infant begins to understand the caregiver’s needs and feelings. This period is characterized by an increasing ability to form more sophisticated relationships, as children start to communicate their needs and desires more effectively. As toddlers develop cognitive and social skills, they begin to understand that caregivers may need to leave and return, and that separations are temporary. At this stage, attachment is not only about security but also about mutual understanding and the beginning of social cooperation (Bowlby, 1969).
References, Contributors and Attributions
Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume 1. Attachment. Basic Books.