How do infants become attached? (Part 3)
This is the third part for attachment theory. Last month I have introduced a famous experiment “the wire mother” with you. Now you should know that all living things have attachment behaviors, and it is essential for them to protect themselves and to maintain their lives. This time I will share with you the types of attachment and the outcomes for different types of attachment.
The Internal Working Model of attachment
for self and other
The internal working model is developed by Ethnologists John Bowlby
and Inge Bretherton. It is a cognitive representation of self, others, and the
relationships which infants construct from their interactions with their
caregivers. Based on this model, four different types of attachment were formed,
including secure, preoccupied, dismissing and fearful. A sensitive and
responsive care giving should lead the child to feel that people are dependable.
On the other hand insensitive, neglectful or abusive care giving may lead to insecurity
and a lack of trust.
The Internal Working Model
Secure
(Secure primary attachment)
|
Preoccupied
(resistant primary attachment)
|
Dismissing
(Avoidant primary attachments)
|
Fearful
(Disorganized primary attachment)
|
Four types of attachment
It is the most recent version of the internal working models theory,
which has been shown in the above figure. Infants who construct positive
working models of themselves and caregivers can successfully form a secure
primary attachment. The infant feel comfortable even caregiver is out of sight,
because it know that the caregiver will return, and they feel save to get care
from strangers too. The caregiver has successfully formed a parental bond with
the child. Infant who form secure attachment will have self-confidence to
approach and to master new challenges, and is also inclined to establish secure
and mutual trust relationship in later life.
The Second type is avoidance
attachment. Infants are likely to be little affective sharing in play. They show little or no distress on
departure, little or no visible response to return, ignoring or turning away
with no effort to maintain contact if picked up, and are afraid of strangers.
The child feels no attachment. Therefore, the child is rebellious and has lower
self-image and self-esteem. Caregivers have little
response to the distressed child, as they encourage independence, and don’t
encourage crying.
The third type is ambivalent/resistant attachment. Unable to rely on caregiver as a secure
base, the infants seek proximity before separation occurs. Feeling distressed
on separation, they are filled with ambivalence, anger, reluctance to warm to
caregiver. Yet, they will like to play with them when they return. They feel preoccupied
with caregiver's availability, seek contact but resist angrily when it is
achieved. They are not easily calmed by stranger. In this relationship, the
child always feels anxious because the caregiver's availability is never
consistent. Generally, the caregiver will respond only after increased
attachment behavior with the infant.
The last type is disorganized attachment, which is lack of coherent attachment strategy. It is
shown by contradictory, disoriented behaviors such as approaching the infant
and leaving them alone incidentally. Caregivers who form this attachment type
with their infant are often frightening, withdrawal and have role confusion. It
is very often associated with many forms of abuse to the child.
After knowing the function and the
importance of attachment, hope that it will give you some information about
caring young infants, and what they need in daily caring. Thanks for reading it!
Vicky Wong
References:
Cherry, K. (2006, 7 24). An Overview of Attachment Theory.
Retrieved from About.com.Psychology:http://psychology.about.com/od/loveandattraction/a/attachment01.htm
Mcleod, S. (2007 , 4 12). Bowlby Attachment Theory.
Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html
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