ChrisLivoti3/5/13
IBPsychologyMrs.UrsoJohnBowlbyisthepioneeroftheattachmenttheoryandworkedwith childrenwhohadbeenseparatedfromtheirparentsduringWorldWar2Heobservedthatmanyof thesechildrendevelopedemotionalproblems,andhemadetheconnectionthattheemotional problemsstemmedfromtheseparationfromthemother.BowlbywasborninLondontoanupper classfamily,andwouldrarelysee,andinteractwithhismother.Attheyoungageofsevenhewas sentofftoboardingschool,whichwasverycommonforboysofhissocialstatus.Hewouldlatergo ontosay"Iwouldn'tsendadogawaytoboardingschoolatageseven"Thesecircumstanceswould lead...showmorecontent...
Finallywasmilddeprivationwhichcouldresultinminorproblemsforthechild,butnoserious complicationsBowlby'smaintheorywhichheismostwellknownforishisAttachmentTheory Bowlbybelievedthatforastrongattachmenttobeformedtheremustbeproximitymaintenance(the desiretobenearthepeopleweareattachedto),asafehaven(returningtotheattachmentfigurefor comfortandsafetyinthefaceofafearorthreat),asecurebase(theattachmentfigureactsasabase ofsecurityfromwhichthechildcanexplorethesurroundingenvironment),andseparationdistress (anxietythatoccursintheabsenceoftheattachmentfigure)Themainpointsofhisattachment theorywerethatachildhasaninnateneedtoattachtoonemainattachmentfigure(monotropy). Anothermainpointinhistheorywasthathebelievedachildshouldreceivethecontinuouscareof thesinglemostimportantattachmentfigureforthefirsttwoyearsoflife.Bowlbyusedtheterm maternaldeprivationtorefertothefailuretodevelopanattachment,andtorefertotheseparationor lossofamotherTosupporthishypothesisthattherelationshipbetweentheinfantandmotherinthe firstfiveyearswascrucialtosocialization,andthedisruptionofthisrelationshipcanleadto emotionaldifficulties,antisocialbehavior,anddelinquency,hestudiedforty–fourjuvenile delinquentsinachildguidanceclinicThestudywascalledthefortyfourthievesstudy,andthegoal was
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Attachmenttheoryhashadsomeverypowerfultheoriststhathavecomeupwiththeseideologies.In 1969,JohnBowlbywasthefirsttheoristtodeveloptheattachmenttheory.Itisatheorydeveloped toexplaintheemotionaltiesthatchildrenhadwiththeirparentsorcaregivers.Itwasbelievedthata child'sattachmentstylewithacaregiverwasdevelopedthroughoutchildhoodandinfluencedhow anindividualinteractswithsocietyItalsogaveanindicationonwhattheirparentingstylesmight belike,althoughthiswasnotalwaysaconcreteindication.Bowlby'stheoryprovidedthebasison whichMaryAinsworthalsoworkedonanddeveloped.Inthe1970'sAinsworthdevelopedand conductedthe"strangesituation"experiment,whichprovedshowmorecontent
Thechildwhomwelcomedtheirmother'sclosenessandwhowelcomedthemothersreturnwas namedsecureattachment.Thechildrenwhomignoredthemothersarrivalwasdeemedasavoidant attachmentandthechildrenwhomwereperceivedasshowingsignsofangeryetstillactivelyseeked themothersattentionandcontactwascalledambivalentattachment.
Thesefollowingscenariosfitintoeachofthethreeattachmentstyles;secure,ambivalentand avoidant.Charlotteisthe2yearoldchildofSandra.Sandraisasoloparentwhohasfullyimmersed herselfintoherworkasshecannotdealwiththeproblemssheispresentlyfacedwith.Sandratries herbestwithCharlottebutfindsitveryhardtomeetherneeds,sosheburiesherselfinherworkand isveryinconsistentincaringforCharlotteAsaresultofSandra'sparentingtechniqueCharlotteis verywaryofpeople.WhenSandraleavesCharlotteasKindergarteneachmorningshebecomes quitedistressed.ButwiththereturnofSandra,Charlottedoesnotseemtobecomfortedbythis eitherAsanadult,thesesignsofambivalentattachmentcouldleadCharlottetobecomevery reluctanttobeclosetoothers,shemightworrythatherpartnerdoesnotloveherorshemight becomeverydistraughtwhenarelationshipends.Thisscenariofitsintotheambivalentattachment styleasCharlottedisplaysthecharacteristicscommonlyseenwiththis
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Bowlby'sattachmenttheoryhasgreatlyinfluencedpractice.Histheoryofattachmentexplainsthe importanceofhavingafigurethatthechildsharesastrongbondwith.Havinganattachmentcan significantlysupportachild'sdevelopmentasBarbaraWoodssuggeststhat"histheoryof attachmentproposedthatattachmentisinnateinbothinfantsandmothers,andthattheformationof thisattachmentiscrucialfortheinfantsdevelopment"Wood,B(2001,p53)Bowlbybelievedthat forminganattachmentwillhelpachilddevelopinallarease.g.emotionally,physicalandmentally. Howeveriftheydidnotformanattachmentinthesensitiveperiod,thechildmayhaveissuesor problemsintheircognitive,emotionalandsocialdevelopmentshowmorecontent
Ifanyproblemsoccurtothechild,theycanreturntotheirsecurebasewhichistheirkeyworker, whocanofferthemcomfort.Althoughkeyworkersarenotthereforchildrenwhohavenotformed anattachmentwiththeirparents,theyaretheytooffersupportandcomfort.Thestrengthof Bowlby'sapproachisthatithasintroducedthekeyworkersystem,whichhashelpedagreatdeal withsupportingchildren'sneedsanddevelopmentKeyworkerscantracktheirprogressandplan andimplementactivitieswhichpromotetheirdevelopment.Whileworkingatmylastyear's placementinanurserysetting,Iwasinformedthateachchildhadakeyworkerassignedtothem.I observedthatwhenparentswouldleavetheirchildren,somewouldcryandgetupset,thekey workerwouldthentakethemasideandcomfortthemortrytodistractthem.Havingthekeyworkers thereforthemmadethechildmoreemotionallysecureHistheoryhasalsoinfluencedotherchild carepracticessuchashospitals.Parentsarenowabletostaywiththeirchildrendueto understandingtheiremotionaldevelopmentcanbedisruptediftheirattachmentfigureisnotwith themthroughadifficultperiodoftheirlifewhentheyneedsupport"Parent'swereencouragedtobe withthechildinhospital:nursingcareandthewarditselfbecamechild–centered"Wood,B(2001, p.60).Someresearchstatesthatchildrenneedtohaveagoodrelationship
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