The Consequences of Early Attachment Relations for Children’s Social Development
Sigmund Freud (1909) suggested that a child’s psychological
development takes place in psychosexual stages (a series of five fixed
stages). In the oral stage, which occurs in the first year of a
child’s life, the focus of organ-pleasure is the mouth. He proposed
that if children experience trauma in this stage, they become fixated
in the oral stage and it continues into adulthood, for example,
smoking and thumb-sucking. The second stage, from 1-3 years of age, is
the anal stage. In this stage, the child is fully aware of the ego and
that his wish might conflict with someone else’s. Freud believed it to
be characterized in elimination through potty-training, for example
(Freud, 1909). The phallic stage, 3-6 years, in which the focus of
organ-pleasure has shifted to the genitals, includes Freud’s highly
controversial Oedipus conflict which analyses the castration anxiety
in a five-year-old boy (Freud, 1909). The latency stage occurs between
7-11 years, where sexual urges are at a minimum. The genital stage
occurs at 11 years. However, progress to this stage is only possible
if serious fixation has not developed at an earlier stage. Freud
suggests that the phallic stage and the Oedipal stage are the most
critical in affecting a child’s moral and gender development. His
thoughts regarding psychological defenses, such as the idea that they
are acquired as a consequence of childhood trauma, are widely
supported (Jacobs, 1992).
The social learning theory suggests that an individual must acquire a
new behaviour by imitating a model (Bandura, 1977). Bandura (197...
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...relationship. The internal working
model states that if a child internalizes a working model of
attachment as kind and reliable then they might bring it into their
future relationships, however if the child internalizes a negative
working model such as neglect and abuse then there is a chance of them
reproducing this model in the future. Furthermore, many scholars
believe that it is a myth to believe only those with successful early
attachment relations can go on to be successful carers or parents.
Fonagy et al (1993) assessed pregnant women’s internal working model
using the adult attachment interview and measured how securely the
children and carer were attached at 12 to 18 months. The results
showed that babies who displayed insecure attachments had parents who
also had insecure attachments with their own parents.
The Development of Attachment Theory and Its Strengths and Limitations English psychiatrist John Bowlby is a leading and influential figure within the history of social reform. His work has influenced social work policies and legislation relating to child psychiatry and psychology. Bowlby was trained as a psychoanalyst, and was influenced by Freudians theories, but became influenced again in his attachment theory by the work of ethologists. The ethologists theory concentrates on looking at the role parents play rather than only the child. Bowlby believes that parenting has strong ties with biology and it explains why there are such strong emotions attached.
In understanding others, one must first understand our own family background and how it affects our understanding of the world. Conversely, family systems draw on the view of the family as an emotional unit. Under system thinking, one evaluates the parts of the systems in relation to the whole meaning behavior becomes informed by and inseparable from the functioning of one’s family of origin. These ideas show that individuals have a hard time separating from the family and the network of relationships. With a deeper comprehension of the family of origin helps with the challenges and awareness of normalized human behaviors. When interviewing and analyzing the family of origin, allow one to look at their own family of origin
Relationships are the building block for personality and are significant in children’s ability to grow into substantial individuals who can thrive in an often harsh world. Constructing lasting and fulfilling relationships is an integral part to development as the interpersonal bonds forged are not only highly sought after but also set the ground work for all upcoming expressive interactions. Relationships and attachment go hand in hand as attachment is the strong and lasting linkage established between a child and his or her caregiver. Moreover, attachment significantly influences a large capacity of ones make up as it these first relationships that teaches morals, builds self-esteem, and develops a support system. The pioneers of Attachment Theory realized early on that human beings are not solely influenced by drives but that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers greatly impact their ability to forge lasting relationships later in life. John Bowlby was first to introduce this theory to the masses in the 1950’s, and later Mary Ainsworth conducted further research to expand on Bowlby’s theory which proclaims that attachment is a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). The attachment bond theory by both Bowlby and Ainsworth focuses on the significance of the relationship between babies and their caretakers which research has suggested is accountable for influencing impending interactions, firming or injuring our capabilities to concentrate, being aware of our emotional states, self-soothing capabilities, and the capacity to be resilient in the face of hardship. Additionally, this research has provided a framework for assisting in describing these att...
Attachment is a complex evolutionary behavioral system that is intertwined with three other behavioral systems: exploratory, affiliative, and wariness. The behavioral systems that are involved with attachment behavior can be activated or terminated in different circumstances. The function of attachment is survival. Attachment can be found in many children’s books, although the two books examined in this essay are I love you all day long by Francesca Rusackas, and The kissing hand by…. These books show evidence of secure attachment through the process of separation and reunion.
Freud’s stages begin with the oral stage. Freud begins with the oral stage because when a baby is born they experience life through their mouth. All pleasure originates from the mouth. Freud’s developmental theory continued with the anal phase, in which children begin to learn to control their bodily functions. The center of this stage is learning to control when and where to use the restroom.
Infant attachment is the first relationship a child experiences and is crucial to the child’s survival (BOOK). A mother’s response to her child will yield either a secure bond or insecurity with the infant. Parents who respond “more sensitively and responsively to the child’s distress” establish a secure bond faster than “parents of insecure children”. (Attachment and Emotion, page 475) The quality of the attachment has “profound implications for the child’s feelings of security and capacity to form trusting relationships” (Book). Simply stated, a positive early attachment will likely yield positive physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development for the child. (BOOK)
The first stage is infancy and it covers the first year of life. The issue in this stage is trust versus mistrust. This is a stage where an infant is completely dependent on their caregiver. Trust is built by the actions of the caregiver taking care of the child by feeding, bathing, changing diapers, showing affection, etc. If a child is not well taken care of then that child will not learn to trust others. New parents struggle with this stage a lot because of the loss of freedom and the diversion of some attention from spouse to newborn child. It is known as the oral-sensory stage because infants use their mouth to explore their new world. Parents must meet the
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.
This stage deals with the ages from birth to 1 year. This is the stage when
The Phallic Stage =) the child learn to differentiate between the male and the female gender and becomes aware of sexuality. He clarified during that stage a child experience the Oedipus complex, meaning that young boys have very strong feelings toward their mother and as a result, they developed jealousy toward their father. They feeling can be so strong that they want to kill their father. The Elektra complex which reveals girl attraction for the father will result in a feeling of distaste for toward their mother.
Dr. Sigmund Freud thought the experiences in the first five years were the most critical for the development of personality. It is where it all begins. We all go through stresses in life but it is the well-developed adult that is able to handle stress and how they handle it. It all starts with attachment between the caregiver and the infant. The emotional bond that forms between an infant and a primary caregiver is called attachment. Bonding is a continuation of the relationship that began during pregnancy. The physical and chemical changes that were happening in the body of a mother remind her of the presence of that little person who was growing inside her. Birth reinforces that bond and gives it validity. Now she can see, feel, and talk to the little person that she knew only as a movement in her belly and the heartbeat she heard through the ultra sound. Bonding allows her to transfer her love for the infant inside to the outside. Inside, she gave her blood and outside, she gives her milk, her attention with her eyes, hands and voice. Bonding brings mothers and newborns back together. Attachment is a very important development in the social and emotional life of the infant, usually forming within the first six months of the infant’s life and showing up in a number of ways during the second six months, such as wariness of strangers and fear of being separated from the caregiver. According to psychologist Mary Ainsworth, attachment is a connection between two people that creates a bond. It is that bond that causes the desire for contact with that person and the feeling of distress when separation occurs from that person. This special tie between two human beings that bind them together is what attachment is. Attachment aids a n...
Attachment is a strong positive bonding that happens in between an infant and his or her mother, or a significant person. According to the textbook, Infants, Toddlers & Caregivers, written by Janet Gonzalez-Mena, further defined attachment as "it is a complex, and ongoing process. It involves a closeness and responsiveness to an infant" (Gonzalez, 94). It is a relationship between whether with the mother and the child, or a secondary attachment which involve the child and the caregivers. Young children are dependent, who need this relationship in order to survive or overcome obstacles in their future. Attachment is the most important thing that can happen to young children, and it has a big impact on their life whether in a positive or negative way.
The second stage is autonomy verses shame and doubt. This occurs from about 18 months of age to 3 years old. The basic virtue of this stage is will; can they do things on their own or do they require the help of others? Erikson believed that children around this age wanted to develop a greater sense...
The Sensorimotor stage – this stage occurs when the child is born till when he/she is two years old.
The first stage, which happens between birth and 18 months, is trust vs. mistrust. During this stage, an infant is confused about the world being a safe place and wonders if his or her needs will be met. As a result, the infant looks to the primary caretaker for consistent care and hope that his or her needs can be met. Erikson explains that those that receive constant care during this stage will develop a sense of trust. The basic virtue in this stage is hope. The second stage of this theory is autonomy vs. shame and doubt, which happens between 18 months and 3 years. During this stage, there is an increase in mobility and independence. Erikson explains that it is critical to allow the child to explore their limits and allow failure. The basic virtue in this stage is will. Initiative vs. Guilt that happens between 3 and 5 years is the stage that follows. During this stage, children take more initiative to engage with peers. Erikson explains that during this stage if children are given the opportunity to take initiative, they will develop a sense of security in their ability to lead. The basic virtue in this stage is purpose. Industry vs. Inferiority, which happens between 5 and 12 years, emphasizes school and friendships. Erikson believes that during this stage, children will seek approval from others by displaying skills that are valued by others. Additionally, he believes that if