Preview

Mary Aninsworth's Attachment Style

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
292 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Mary Aninsworth's Attachment Style
In a famous experiment titled the “Stranger situation” psychologists Mary Aninsworth (expanding on work done by Bowlby) observed children between the age of 12 to 18 months. She was interested in their response at being left alone and then reunited with their mothers.
The results led her to 3 major attachment styles. In 1986, researchers Main and Solomon added a fourth attachment style. A number of studies since then have confirmed that the attachment style that develops in a child’s early years of life will impact their future relationships and connections with other human beings for years to come.
The four attachment styles are: secure, ambivalent, avoidant and disorganized.
Secure Attachment Style
Secure attachment is the one more desired.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation experiment is to assess the quality of the infant attachment with the caregiver. The experiment was having a mother leaving the 12-18…

    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many researchers have studied attachment; however, John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth are the researchers responsible for the origination of the attachment theory, therefore also becoming catalysts for the research of attachment in the late eighteenth century. Attachment, as defined by Ainsworth, is “‘an affectional tie’ that an infant forms with a caregiver—a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time” (Berger, 2014, p. 142). Furthermore, as described in Berger, the attachment theory assesses the behaviors associated with four identified types of infant attachment. These four types include secure, insecure-resistant/ambivalent, insecure avoidant, and disorganized attachment. Berger defines each of these types as follows: securely…

    • 186 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    PSYCH 600 Attachment Style

    • 1155 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Birth to three is the most crucial time for an individual when it comes to forming attachment styles. Bartholomew (1990) defines attachment styles as modes of social interactions reflecting how people view themselves as well as others. Bartholomew’s (1990) concept of attachment style crosses two theoretically derived dimensions: a mental mode of self and a mental model of others. The mental mode of one’s self is based on whether a person has an internalized sense of self-worth. The mental mode of others is based on whether a person sees involvement with others to be rewarding. When crossing these dimensions four unique attachment styles emerge; secure, dismissive, fearful, and preoccupied.…

    • 1155 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment theory is a concept in developmental psychology that concerns the importance of "attachment" in regards to personal development. John Bowlby was the first Psychologist to experiment this childhood development that he believed depended heavily upon a child's ability to form a strong relationship with at least one primary caregiver. Bowlby’s studies led him to believe that children needed someone dominant for support and reassurance. Without this relationship, Bowlby felt that children would long for stability and security. On the other side of this theory, he believed a child with a strong attachment to a parent knows that they will have their “backs”, and will tend to be more adventurous and eager to have new experiences. Mary Ainsworth…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Contribution tma05

    • 2471 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Bowlby's attachment theory identifies three types of internal working models underpinning three basic infant attachment styles which were later translated empirically by Mary Ainsworth (1989) into infant attachment classifications. The attachment theory relies on the assumption that these internal working models are stable over time and enduring, hence each type of Ainsworth's infant attachment types can be associated with their related adult attachment styles (Wood, Littleton, Oates, 2007). Also it counts on the premise that having established a robust internal working model during early childhood, one is then bound to have 'healthy' relationships in adulthood (Wood, Littleton, Oates, 2007).…

    • 2471 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment Theory has giving us the ability to comprehend child development. Each child develops different attachment styles according to their exposure and relationships coming from their parents. There are four different types…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment theories are important to consider as it has been backed up by theorists that unstable or interrupted attachments in childhood carry out into adulthood. A child/young person needs attachments with their caregivers in order to thrive in their environment. According to Bowlby, attachment patterns are formed in the context of early life experiences with caregivers, and maintained by later interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Attachment patterns become internalized and shape how indiviudals see the self and others in close relationships which in turn influence how one perceives and cpes with stress throughout their lifespan.…

    • 921 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment styles have been studied for many centuries. The quest to understand how we develop these attachments and what affects them has led to many studies throughout history. Mary Ainsworth's studies and research are the most well-known when it comes to attachment styles. From her research and studies we have developed three main attachment styles. These styles are secure attachment style, avoidant attachment style, and anxious/ambivalent attachment style.…

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Humans are social beings and need to be with others and form relationships but our relationship behaviors do not "come naturally" and they need to be learned similar to other social skills (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2005, p.77). Many psychologists argue that the kind of relationships infants have with their primary caregivers is the blueprint for the later life relationships (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2005). Behaviors in adult relationships' are influenced by the kinds of relationships and attachments they have experienced in their early years with their primary caregivers. This is the basic perspective of the theory of attachment styles that claims that the kind of bonds we form early in life influence…

    • 1236 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment Theory

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ainsworth observations, `the strange situation` procedure highlight emotional bond that connects mother/infant, she believed, much like Bowlby 1969(Farrington-Flint 2014 p 77) that responding sensitively and appropriately to the child’s requirement, such behaviour appears universal across cultures. Attachment theory provides an explanation of how the parent/child relationship materializes and influences development, this is supported by Psychologist Bowlby, Harlow, Lorenz theories of attachments. Bowlby also suggested a child forms one primary attachment initially, acting as a model for all future social relationships towards others, peers and personal relationships so disrupting it can have consequences. Whereas John Watson (Farrington-Flint 2014 p 133) proposed through the process of conditioning, explaining aspects of attachments though patterns of stimulus and reaction. The nature via nurture debate continues, and appears that a mixture of both enhances attachments. However the question remains can attachments if delayed be rebuilt over time of which it can but with some consequences as seen in The Open University (2014) ‘Feral children’ which focus on nature/nurture factors in cases such as feral children, Romanian orphans, highlighting extreme…

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    * Attachment also enables infants to develop expectations about emotional relationships. This is known as the internal working model. This suggests that there is a link between early relationships and late relationships. In turn, this leads to the continuity hypothesis which indicates there is a link between individuals’ attachment types in childhood and later emotional behaviour.…

    • 2561 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the theories used to explain how personality develops in stages is the theory of John Bowlby. Bowlby suggested that attachment progressed into 4 stages. One stage 1 pre-attachment (birth to 6 weeks), infants have not develop attachments. A reason why this happens according to Bowlby is because infants at this age have not yet developed their visual discrimination; essential for identifying their primary caregivers. Babies at this stage do not mind being left with other unfamiliar adults, (Davis & Palladino, 2004; Bowlby, 1988).On stage 2, principles of attachment (from 6 to about 7 months), infants start creating awareness of familiar adults, but do not complaint when separated from their caregivers.…

    • 256 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Four Models Of Abuse

    • 1353 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby in 1971. His theory suggests that if a mother and her child have a significant separation in the first five years of the child’s life it could lead to physical…

    • 1353 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Attachment Theory

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages

    As stated in our text book, “The most important aspect of social development that takes place during infancy is the formation of attachment.” (Feldman, R. S. 2010, pg178) That is a pretty powerful statement, considering everything that is going on in the lives of infants. Prior to reading and researching this particular subject, I thought I had a fairly good grasp on attachment. I have an 11 year old “Daddy’s Girl” and a 5 year old “Mama’s Boy”. I know firsthand many of the characteristic and qualities of parent/child attachment. However, much to my surprise there are many aspects I was unaware of, as well as the meticulous mix of biological and psychological issues involved. For instance, I was unaware of the lasting affects attachment or lack thereof, has on a person for their entire life. The results are lasting and can be either beneficial or detrimental.…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bowlby (the creator and psychologist that researched into attachment theories) believed that the attachment that a child has from a young age affects how they will be when they are grown up. He came up with 3 different categories: secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, and avoidant attachment.…

    • 1617 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays