Hayden Green

Attachment Theory

Mary Ainsworth was a psychologist who studied the interactions between infants and
their care givers to support the attachment theory. Attachment was originally thought to occur
due to want/need of food. Ethology experts experiments proved that even animals attach
themselves to those who give them comfort not nourishment. This study led to Ainsworths
study of the attachment theory between infant and adult.
Ainsworth observed interactions between mother and child, taking extensive notes over
behavioral pattern in her Uganda study. From this study Ainsworth concluded that babies go
through phases of attachment, the parent/caregiver interaction directly action affected these
phases. From her Uganda study observations Ainsworth began the Baltimore study. During this
study Ainsworth observed 26 middle class babies and mothers in their homes. These
observations were covered in four hour visits every three weeks. The observers task was to
focus on interaction between baby and mother. Interactions such as crying and maternal response
time, close contact face to face encounters and experiences such as father leaving for work. From
these observations Ainsworth concluded that there were patterns among the infants as they
developed an attachment to their mother/caregiver.
Babies whose care givers responded quickly and sensitively in first six months cried less
often at year 1, and were more complaint and more obedient. They tended to better cope with
transitions, and experience cognitive develop more rapidly than infants without secure
attachment. Mothers who allow children to determine feeding times also resulted in less difficult
children. Picking up child cues and properly reacting is the key to solid attachment. Ainsworth
concluded that sensitive care giving led to child developing a secure attachment to that parent.
The parent with whom the child has a secure attachment are utilized by children as a safe haven
when stress occurs. They are also used as base camp when trying new things/exploring. Babies
who have strong attachments and cry less at home often cry more when separated from
parent/caregivers. Those infants with secure attachment illustrated how children were more
quickly soothed and returned to calm states when their parent was present. From the Baltimore
study Ainsworth noted that only 66 percent of the children observed had this secure attachment.
Insecure attachment children less reactive when care giver left and more hesitant to
initiate contact when care giver returned, they avoided the interaction. Insecure ambivalent
connection had ambivalent reactions from separation and were more difficult to calm.
Disorganized attachment children seemed overwhelmed by experience of loss, unable to make
organized response to the connection being taken away. All these triggered by attachment
developed in first six months.
This information is significant not only to future parents but to educators as well. From
Ainsworths work we now know how children develop attachment with their caregiver. The
patterns that she discovered illustrate how parents need to care for their child in order to create a
secure attachment. Educators see this attachment theory on a regular basis and may not even
know it. The students with behavioral issues may experience an insecure attachment at home.