Attachment Theory

Abigail Roe

Fresno Pacific University

EDC 305: Advanced Child Growth and Development

Dr. Sandra Frisby

September 20, 2021

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Attachment Theory

Attachment theory is the theory that explains how people bond and form close

relationships and why relationships develop the way that they do. This can be focused on a

romantic relationship, however, in child development, this is primarily centered around parent-

child relationships (Cherry, 2019). Attachment theory focuses on how strong, weak, or weird a

child’s attachment to their caregiver can be based on their surroundings that heavily influence the

bond. Depending on how stable a child’s environment is, it can have a heavy impact on how

secure they feel in their relationships with others (Ackerman, 2021). As the theory goes, when

caregivers are responsive and available to a child, this develops into the child feeling safe and

secure. This causes the bond to grow stronger and ultimately improves the outcome of the child

being successful in the world. When a child experiences neglect and inconsistency, this can

lower their chances for a successful future, or at the very least, give the child anxiety when it

comes to their relationship with their caregiver (Cherry, 2019).

How Did Attachment Theory Come About?

Attachment theory originated from a British psychologist named John Bowlby. Bowlby

was intrigued by the separation anxiety children displayed when temporarily separated from their

parent or caregiver. In the past, psychologists believed children experienced separation anxiety

because they were being taken away from the person that provides food and nourishment to

them. These same scientists believed that attachment was a learned behavior. However, after an

extensive study, Bowlby found that it is much more than a “feeding relationship.” Instead, he

believed that this anxiety sprouted from the emotional attachment children and caregivers form.

In fact, Bowlby stated that attachment was an innate, revolutionary process. “When children are
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frightened, they will seek proximity from their primary caregiver in order to receive both

comfort and care” (Cherry, 2021).

“Strange Situation” Classification

Years into Bowlby’s study on attachment, a woman named Mary Ainsworth began

working for Bowlby at the Tavistock Clinic in London to help further his research. While

studying children’s behavior at the clinic, Ainsworth became inspired to conduct some research

of her own (Ackerman, 2021). This eventually became Ainsworth's famous “Strange Situation”

study. This study involved observing children from ages 12 to 18 months and keeping a record of

their reactions when they were briefly taken away from their caregiver, and their reaction when

reunited. While using a one-way mirror to observe the children, Ainsworth conducted several

studies using seven different scenarios. Researchers noted the reactions the child expressed when

they underwent circumstances in this order: parent and child are left alone, a stranger joins parent

and child, the parent leaves child and stranger alone, parent returns and stranger leaves, parent

leaves and leaves child alone, stranger returns, and parent returns and stranger leaves. The

research was focused on four different behaviors including what the child did when the caregiver

left, if the child explored their environment, how the child reacted to the stranger, and how the

child reacted when their caregiver came back (Child Protection Resource, 2014). Through the

combination of both Bowlby and Ainsworth’s studies and experiments, the two were able to

settle on three different attachment styles that children exhibit: secure attachment, anxious-

avoidant attachment, and anxious-resistant attachment (Ackerman, 2021). A fourth attachment

style called disorganized attachment was later added in 1986 after studies provided by Main and

Solomon (Cherry, 2019).

Attachment Styles
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Secure Attachment

A child with a secure attachment to their caregiver feels confident that their needs will be

met. They feel secure in the fact that they can rely on the person taking care of them to support

them. This support will give these children confidence in the future to explore the world and

their environment. Children who have a secure attachment know they are worthy of respect and

are more likely to respect others. They also are more likely to rely on and depend on others. This

can lead to forming more secure relationships and friendships and becoming successful in a

classroom (Ackerman, 2021). Ainsworth’s study showed that securely attached children

displayed grief when their caregiver left, but they were easily calmed upon the parent’s return

(Our Family Wizard).

Anxious-Avoidant Attachment

The Strange Situation study showed that children with anxious-avoidant attachment did

not typically cry when their caregiver left the room or returned. These children tend to be more

emotionally independent than others. Anxious-avoidant children explored their environment

more confidently in their caregiver’s absence. These children were more interested in the

environment around them than their caregiver. This is because they typically have caregivers that

are absent when the child is experiencing emotional distress. This can lead to children

withdrawing emotionally, ignoring the people around them, and eventually can turn into bullying

and lying when they enter the world (Ackerman, 2021).

Anxious-Resistant Attachment

Children that displayed signs of anxious-resistant attachment are the complete opposite of

children with anxious-avoidant attachment styles. These children appear to be uncertain or

uneasy when it comes to their relationship with their caregiver. These children experience
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extreme emotional reactions, whether it be accompanied by clinging onto their caregiver or

completely rejecting them all together (Our Family Wizard). They are more likely to isolate

themselves socially, too insecure to explore their surroundings, and seem to always wonder

where their caregiver is. Although children with anxious-resistant attachment seem to be close

with their caregiver, the caregiver’s presence doesn’t always soothe the child either (Ackerman,

2021).

Disorganized Attachment

Children with disorganized attachment have very complicated relationships with their

caregivers. A caregiver’s presence may seem to add more anxiety and confusion, and the child

may not know how to interact with their caregiver, or in extreme circumstances, the child may

even appear to be frightened by their presence. This attachment style can lead children to

develop difficult behaviors such as aggression, disruption, social isolation, and defensiveness

(Ackerman, 2021)

Conclusion

No matter what the influences are that go on to form a child’s forever or long-lasting

attachment style, it can have an impact on the rest of their life. Insecure attachments can lead to

negative impacts such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, or post-traumatic stress

disorder. Securely attached children are more likely to later go on to form strong romantic

relationships and hold high self-esteem. The impact a caregiver has on a child is astronomical.

The first 18 months of a child’s life can truly make or break the outcome of their mental health

and close relationships.

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References

Cherry, Kendra. (2019). What is Attachment Theory? The Importance of Early Emotional

Bonds.

Very Well Mind.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337#understanding-attac

hment

Ackerman, Courtney E. (2021). What is Attachment Theory? Bowlby’s Four Stages Explained.

Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/attachment-theory/

Our Family Wizard. Attachment Styles in Children.

https://www.ourfamilywizard.com/blog/attachment-styles-children

Child Protection Resource. What is Attachment Theory? Why is it important?

https://childprotectionresource.online/what-is-attachment-theory-why-is-it-important/