Attachment Theories and Research
This page explores various theories and research studies related to attachment, providing a comprehensive overview of the field's development and key findings.
The discussion begins with Lorenz's study on imprinting in geese, which demonstrated that baby geese would imprint on the first moving object they saw after hatching. This study introduced the concept of a critical period for attachment formation.
Example: In Lorenz's study, geese born in an incubator imprinted on Lorenz himself, illustrating how early experiences can shape attachment behaviors.
The learning theory explanation of attachment is then presented, suggesting that infants learn to attach to their caregivers through classical and operant conditioning, associating them with the provision of food and comfort. However, this theory is critiqued for oversimplifying the attachment process.
Bowlby's monotropic theory is introduced as a pivotal concept in attachment research. This theory proposes that humans are biologically predisposed to form attachments, with infants possessing innate behaviors (social releasers) that reinforce attachment bonds.
Definition: Bowlby's monotropic theory posits that infants are biologically programmed to form a single, strong attachment (monotropy) with a primary caregiver, typically the mother.
Key aspects of Bowlby's theory are outlined:
- The concept of monotropy (one strong attachment)
- The development of an internal working model based on the first relationship
- The idea of a safe base provided by the mother
- A critical period of 2 years for attachment formation
The theory is evaluated, noting support from Brazelton's research and animal studies, but also highlighting contradictory evidence from Schaffer and Emerson regarding multiple attachments.
Harlow's research with rhesus monkeys is then described, which investigated the relative importance of food versus comfort in attachment formation. This groundbreaking study found that comfort was more crucial than food for attachment, challenging previous assumptions.
Highlight: Harlow's research demonstrated that infant monkeys preferred a soft, cloth-covered surrogate mother over a wire mother that provided food, emphasizing the importance of comfort in attachment formation.
The page concludes with a description of Ainsworth's strange situation experiment, a seminal study in attachment research. This controlled observation procedure assessed infants' attachment styles based on their reactions to separation and reunion with their mothers.
Ainsworth identified three main attachment styles:
- Secure attachment
- Insecure avoidant attachment
- Insecure resistant attachment
The study's evaluation notes its good reliability due to multiple observers but raises ethical concerns about causing mild distress in some infants.
Finally, the text touches on cultural variations in attachment patterns, referencing a meta-analysis of 32 studies across 8 countries. This research found that secure attachment was the most common type across all cultures, with some variations in the prevalence of insecure attachment styles.
Vocabulary: Meta-analysis refers to a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple scientific studies to draw broader conclusions about a particular research question.
