Attachment theory

In general attachment theory can be defined a psychological model which made in

order to describe the dynamics of intrapersonal relationship among humans. These
include how human being typically responds when being separated from their
beloved, being hurt or being in a condition where the person feel threatened.
According to Bowlby (1969), attachment is defined as a lasting psychological
connectedness between human being. Further, Ainsworth (1973) added that
attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to
another across time and space.
Based on a research conducted by notable developmental psychologist, Mary
Ainsworth in the 1960s and 70s, it was found that in most cases, children have
different attachment patterns based primarily on how they experienced their early
caregiving environment. Basically, there are four different attachment classifications
that have been successfully identified in children.
1. Secure attachment

is when children feel secure in the presence of

their caregivers. When the caregiver leaves the

infant alone, the infant feels separation anxiety.

2. Anxious-ambivalent attachment is when the infant feels separation anxiety
when separated from his caregiver and does not
feel reassured when the caregiver returns to the
infant.
3. Anxious-avoidant attachment is when the infant avoids their parents.
4. Disorganized attachment is when there is a lack of attachment behavior.
Significance of patterns
Attachment theory has become the dominant theory used today in the study of infant
and toddler behaviours and in the fields of infant mental health, treatment of children,
and related fields. secure attachment is considered to be the best attachment style.
Although the attachment theory between infant and its caregiver had evolved over
time, it mainly because of the contribution of the study by harry Harlow which
highlight the attachment theory in infant.

Reasons of attachment.

Throughout the years many of the existing theories of attachment centered on the
idea that the earliest attachment between a mother and child was merely a means
for the child to obtain food, relieve thirst, and avoid pain. John Bowlby (1969)
believed that the tendency for primate infants to develop attachments to familiar
caregivers was the result of evolutionary pressures, since attachment behaviour
would facilitate the infant's survival in the face of dangers such as predation or
exposure to the elements. But from his study with the rhesus monkey, Harlows
highlight the factor of contact comfort (1958) and Social contact (Harlows et al
1965).
Harlows biography
Harry Israel "Harlow" was born on October 31, 1905 in Fairfield, Iowa. After a year at
Reed College in Portland, Oregon, Harlow obtained admission to Stanford University
in 1924 through a special aptitude test and later graduates majoring in psychology.
Directly after completing his doctoral dissertation, Harlow accepted a professorship
at the University of WisconsinMadison.
Harlow received numerous awards and honors, including the Howard Crosby Warren
Medal (1956), the National Medal of Science (1967), and the Gold Medal from the
American Psychological Foundation (1973). In 1975 Harry Harlow became the first
psychologist to receive the Kittay International Scientific Foundation Award, the
worlds largest prize in psychiatry. Harlow obtained this recognition for his
experimental work on primate mother-child attachment. He served as head of the
Human Resources Research branch of the Department of the Army from 1950
1952, head of the Division of Anthropology and Psychology of the National Research
Council from 19521955, consultant to the Army Scientific Advisory Panel, and
president of the American Psychological Association from 19581959.
Harlows research
Harlows studies was mainly motivated by John Bowlby's report, "Maternal Care and
Mental Health" in 1950. In his report, Bowlby demonstrated the importance of the
primary caregiver in human and non-human primate development and deemphasized the mother's role in feeding as a basis for the development of a strong
mother-child relationship. However, Bowlbys finding causes debates when he state

that the mother provides much more than food to the infant, including a unique bond
that positively influences the child's development and mental health. This finding
contradicts the public view at that time which considers physical contact with infants
harmful to their development. To investigate the debate, Dr. Harlow created
inanimate surrogate mothers for the rhesus infants from wire and wood. In general,
the experiment conducted by Harlow in 1958 was carried out in order to achieve his
objective which is;
To study the most important factor in the formation of infant attachment to
mothers between food provision and contact comfort by conducting the
experiment on rhesus monkeys.
Toward that end, Harry Harlow did a study on attachment in rhesus monkeys in
1958. His experiment is as follows.

Infant monkeys reared with surrogate mothers.8 monkeys were separated

from their mothers immediately after birth and placed in cages with assess to
two surrogate mothers, one made of wire and one covered in soft terry
towelling cloth. Four of the monkeys could get milk from the wire mother and
four from the cloth mother. The animals were studied for 165 days.

Both groups of monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother (even if she had no
milk). The infant would only go to the wire mother when hungry. Once fed it would
return to the cloth mother for most of the day. If a frightening object was placed in the
cage the infant took refuge with the cloth mother. The infant would explore more
when the cloth mother was present. This supports the evolutionary theory of
attachment, in that it is the sensitive response and security of the caregiver that is
important (as opposed to the provision of food).
Harlows experiments offered irrefutable proof that contact comfort is vital for normal
childhood development. Harlows work, as well as important research by
psychologists John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, helped influence key changes in
how orphanages, adoption agencies, social services groups and child care providers
approached the care of children. Harlow's enduring legacy reinforced the importance
of emotional support, affection, and love in the development of children.
References

Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1973). The development of infant-mother attachment. In

B. Cardwell & H. Ricciuti (Eds.), Review of child development research (Vol. 3, pp. 194) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Loss. New York:
Basic Books.
Harlow, H. F. & Zimmermann, R. R. (1958). The development of affective
responsiveness in infant monkeys. Proceedings of the American Philosophical
Society, 102,501 -509.