Pros And Cons Of Attachment Theory

795 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Attachment theory vignettes

Practice Recommendations Detailed overview of practice recommendations Addressing the issue of childhood maltreatment and the influences this adversity causes in one’s life, is imperative when understanding how to negate these mitigating factors. Although each component impacts individuals differently, the lasting outcomes on a person’s overall health and wellbeing is definite. Considering insecure attachment relationships attribute to a person’s way of thinking, feeling and behaving, is beneficial when providing insight towards past development of emotional bonds. Recognizing the context and circumstances producing attachment styles is useful when acknowledging their lifelong implications. Since child maltreatment and insecure attachment …show more content…

Difference in relationship bonds and attachment styles are observable in all races, genders, socioeconomic status’, religions and geographical regions. Identifying attributing behaviors rather than focusing on a specific group of people is beneficial when identifying target populations. Applying attachment theory to explain human behavior, specifically providing awareness to actions committed in adulthood, is relevant across issues within individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and societies. Considering internal and intrapersonal relationships exist in all forms of development, this theory is applicable and diverse in purpose. Theoretical perspectives distinguish concerns with diversity and privilege in relation to the development of attachment styles and learned behaviors in childhood. Therefore, acknowledging children are unable to control the environment and circumstances of their upbringing, an increased risk of problematic occurrences impairs one’s prospect for healthy development and well-being. Conclusively, having the ability to think critically and analytically about why people think, feel and behave in various manners, offers valuable insight into choices made and behavior exhibited in

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of The Adult Attachment Interview

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout a person’s lifetime- infancy, childhood, and adolescence- a variety of positive and negative influences occur that may elicit change in the development of attachment. Evolutionary and psychological levels are introduced as an argument somewhat similar to the nature or nurture dilemma. In the evolutionary bias, Bowlby (1973) describes humans as being born with an “innate bias,” in the way they become attached. The second level, the psychological level, attachments are described as being more environmentally labile during their life

    Read More

  • Criticisms Of Attachment Theory

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    Criticisms of attachment theory have come mainly from the feminist schools of thought since the theory has been used to argue that no woman with a young child should work outside the home or spend time away from her baby (Goodsell and Meldrum, 2010). Children’s experience and development also depend on what happens after early years, whether bad or good later in life may change a child’s emotional development, e.g. lack of basic needs, diet, education, stimulation such as play might affect a child’s development (Rutter, 1981). Differences in cultures have to be taken into consideration as well. A study by Schaffer and Emmerson (1964) provided contradictory evidence for Bowlby’s attachment theory. They noted attachment was more prominent at eight months, and afterwards children became attached to more than one person.

    Read More

  • Attachment Theory: Systematic Analysis Of The Family Of Origin

    1912 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first topic that came up in the interview relates to idea of attachment theory. Attachment theory explains the human’s way of relating to a caregiver and receives an attachment figures relating to the parent, and children. In addition, the concept explains the confidence and ability for a child to free explore their environment with a place to seek support, protection, and comfort in times of distress (Levy, Ellison, Scott, and Bernecker, 2010, p. 193). Within attachment theory explains different types of attachment styles that children experience during early childhood. These attachment styles affect the relationships they continue to build in adulthood. The best attachment style happens when the parent is attuned to the child during his or her early childhood called secure attachment (Reyes, 2010, p. 174). In order for complete secure attachment, the child needs to feel safe, seen, and soothed. Any relationship that deviates from this model represents the anxious or insecure attachment. This means that parents or caregivers are inconsistently responsive to the children. Children who have these parents are usually confused and insecure. Some children experience a dismissive attachment where they

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Attachment Theory And Attachment Theory

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    The therapeutic process is an opportunity for both healing and restoration as well as discovering new ways of being. Although exposed to a variety of psychological theories, I narrowed my theoretical orientation to a relational psychodynamic approach, drawing on attachment theory and Intersubjective Systems Theory (IST). IST describes how the subjective experiences, both embodied and affective, of an individual becomes the manner of organization, or way of being, in which the person operates in the world relationally. It is through this process of transference and countertransference, the unconscious ways of being can become explicit and through the collaborative effort of therapist and client, new ways of organizing the relational world can

    Read More

  • Adult Attachment Styles

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    Admittedly, many psychologists define attachment as an enduring, affectionate bond that one person forms between himself and another person throughout life. Mary Ainsworth provided the most famous research: strange situation, offering explanations of individual differences in attachment. However, in this Adult Attachment Style questionnaire that I took, I found many factors relevant to attachment as defined in the textbook. For example, in the textbook, it defines attachment based on Ainsworth research, the strange situation by observing attachment forms between mother and infants. They are described in four attachment styles: securely attached, insecure avoidant, insecure resistant, and insecure disorganized.

    Read More

  • Attachment Theory

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Attachment is described as the close emotional bond between two people and Attachment Theory (AT) generally concentrates on the early bonds in a person’s development as well as the effects that these bonds have on later socio-emotional development. While emphasis on attachment as an antecedent for future behavior and personality has decreased somewhat in recent years, it is interesting to note that the DSM IV-TR includes a “reactive attachment disorder” which it states is caused when extreme circumstances prevent proper attachment development.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Attachment for the Children's Development

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Attachment theory is the idea that a child needs to form a close relationship with at least one primary caregiver. The theory proved that attachment is necessary to ensure successful social and emotional development in an infant. It is critical for this to occur in the child’s early infant years. However, failed to prove that this nurturing can only be given by a mother (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Many aspects of this theory grew out of psychoanalyst, John Bowlby’s research. There are several other factors that needed to be taken into account before the social worker reached a conclusion; such as issues surrounding poverty, social class and temperament. These factors, as well as an explanation of insecure attachment will be further explored in this paper.

    Read More

  • The Attachment Theory

    1811 Words  | 4 Pages

    Attachment is an emotional bond that is from one person to another. The attachment theory is a psychological, an evolutionary and an ethological theory that is concerned with relationships between humans, specifically between mother and infant. A young infant has to develop a relationship with at least one of their primary caregivers for them to develop socially and emotionally. Social competence is the condition that possesses the social, emotional and intellectual skills and behaviours, the infant needs these to success as a member of society. Many studies have been focused on the Western society, but there are many arguments to whether or not this can be applicable to other cultures, such as the poorer countries.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Secure Attachment

    1531 Words  | 4 Pages

    In secure attachment, infants use the caregiver, usually the mother, as a secure base from which to explore the environment. Secure attachment is theorized to be an important foundation for psychological development later in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. In insecure attachment, infants either avoid the caregiver or show considerable resistance or ambivalence toward the caregiver. Insecure attachment is theorized to be related to difficulties in relationships and problems in later development. Developmentalists have begun to explore the role of secure attachment and related concepts, such as connectedness to parents, in adolescent development. They believe the attachment to parents in adolescence may facilitate the adolescent’s social competence and well-being, as reflected in such characteristics as self- esteem, emotional adjustment, and physical health (Allen & Kuperminc ; Armden & Greenberg; Black & McCartney; Blain, Thompson,

    Read More

  • Influences of Attachment Theory on Personality Development

    1136 Words  | 3 Pages

    The concepts proposed by attachment theory have been very influential to the field of personality psychology. Over the years, many studies have supported the notion that mother-child attachment styles during childhood can impact future styles of behavior. Research conducted by Festa and Ginsburg (2011) examined the impact of parental and peer factors on the development of social anxiety amongst children. Further research conducted by Li and Chan (2012) examined the specific impact of anxiety and avoidant attachment styles on the development of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral indicators in determining the quality of romantic relationships amongst adults (Li & Chan, 2012).

    Read More

  • Bowlby’s Attachment Theory

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Attachment is as essential for the child’s psychological well-being as food is for physical health,” claimed Bowlby, B (2001, p.54). Bowlby claimed in this statement that attachment is a necessary thing that a child needs in order to develop healthily. There is evidence from other theorists who support Bowlby’s theory of attachment, such as Harlow, whose approach is based upon a caregiver’s sensitivity and attachment. Ainsworth is another theorist whose research supports Bowlby’s theory of attachment. In her strange situation study, she tested for the attachment types and what effects they had on a child’s behaviour.

    Read More

  • Attachment Theory And Attachment Theory

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    Adolescents Form Attachments with Peers as a child reaches adolescence, they tend to depart away from the attachment relationships with any parental type figure. Attachment bonds between parents and adolescents are treated by many adolescents more like ties that restrain than like ties that anchor and secure, and a key task of adolescence is to develop autonomy so as no longer to need to rely on parents ' support when making one 's way through the world. A way of seeking independence from the parents is to rely more on peers as attachment figures. Eventually, adolescents will form long-term relationships with their peers that may be of the romantic kind, which may become full attachment relationships. These relationships are formed not only because of the need for attachment, but also for the need of species survival. Not everyone has such an easy time transforming their attachment behaviors from their parents to their peers. These adolescents have little confidence that their attachment relationships will last when there are disagreements or problems, so they tend to avoid the problems

    Read More

  • The Challenges of Love

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    The way that one develops intimacy with another person is influence by one’s attachment styles. There are three different attachment styles: secure, anxious/ambivalent and avoidant. Each of these attachment styles are shaped by an early emotional experiences. When a child has a warm, supportive, and responsive relationship with his or her parents, the ...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Erikson And Piaget's Theory Of Cognitive Development

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the first few stages of both theories, we see challenges in the development of the child and we also see challenges that a child might face during some, if not all forms of attachment theory. For example, a parent ignoring the child and speaking to them in a negative manner during insecure-avoidant attachment can be challenging for a child and lead to insecurities and the feeling of not being loved and/or wanted. Additionally, the theme of independence is seen throughout both theories and can also be related specifically to insecure-avoidant attachment where the child does not focus his or her attention on the parents but instead looks to the outside world for assistance. Both theories, as well as attachment theory, has an impact on childhood

    Read More

  • Case study of a Child With Aggressive Behavior

    2025 Words  | 5 Pages

    Perry, B. D. (2002). Bonding and Attachment in Maltreated Children: Consequences of Emotional Neglect in Childhood. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from teacher.scholastic.com: http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/bonding.htm

    Read More

More about Pros And Cons Of Attachment Theory

Open Document