John Bowlby Attachment Theory Created by: Sharon McCoy & Alisha Slieff ECE3520 Summer 2014
John Bowlby Attachment Theory
Created by: Sharon McCoy & Alisha Slieff
ECE3520 Summer 2014
Who is John Bowlby?
Lived from 1907 to 1990 Born in London to upper class family Raised by nanny and attended
boarding school Bowlby attended Trinity College,
Cambridge, where he studied psychology and spent time working with delinquent children
Became an psychoanalyst in 1937 and he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II
Beginnings of Attachment Theory
In 1940, the World Health Organization asked him to write a health report about the orphans (including infants) after World War II.
Theory Basics
Secure attachment between an infant and caregiver has positive outcome that affects relationship throughout their life
Infants need a secure base, someone they trust, in order to develop normally
For a secure attachment, the caregiver must be responsive to their needs
If their needs are not meet an insecure attachment may form that can lead to unhealthy development
Characteristics of Attachment
Safe HavenWhen the child feels threatened or afraid, she or he can return to the caregiver for comfortSecure BaseThe caregiver provides a secure and dependable base for the child to explore the worldProximity MaintenanceThe child strives to stay near the caregiver, thus keeping the child safe.Separation DistressWhen separated from the caregiver, the child will become upset and distressed.
http://www.thenannydoctor.com/at.php
Beliefs for Theory
“Bowlby argued that babies are born with behaviors---crying, smiling, clinging---that elicit caregiving from parent” (Rathus 2008).“He observed that separated infants would go to extraordinary lengths (e.g., crying, clinging, frantically searching) to prevent separation from their parents or to reestablish proximity to a missing parent”(Fraley, C. R. 2010).
Colleague Mary Ainsworth
Worked with and utilized Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment for developing her “Strange Situation” to measure “attachment” of infants to their main caregiver in a laboratory setting. Ainsworth’s attachments styles: Secure Attachment Avoidant/Insecure Attachment Resistant/Ambivalent Attachment
References
Cherry, K. (N.D.). John Bowlby Biography (1907-1990). Retrieved June 26, 2014 from
http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesal/p/john-bowlby.htm
Fraley, R.C. (2010). A Brief Overview of Adult Attachment and Theory. Retrieved June 28, 2014 from
http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm
Heller, L. (2009). A Brief Description of Attachment Theory. Retrieved June 26, 2014 from
http://www.thenannydoctor.com/at.php
Korb, K.A. (N.D.). Attachment Theory. Retrieved June 26, 2014 from
korbedpsych.com/LinkedFiles/680_08AttachmentTheory.ppt
Rathus, S.A. (2008). Childhood Voyages in Development. Belmont: Thomson Higher Education