Attachment Styles

Attachment

The close and enduring bond between children and their parents or other primary caregivers.

Four phases of attachment

The stages through which attachment develops: Pre-attachment, Attachment-in-the-making, Clear-cut/True attachment, and Goal-corrected reciprocal relationships.

Pre-attachment phase

Birth to 2-3 months; infants display undiscriminating social responsiveness.

Attachment-in-the-making phase

2-3 months to 6-8 months; infants show preference for familiar people.

Clear-cut/True attachment phase

6-8 months to 3 years; infants actively seek contact with caregivers and use them as a secure base.

Goal-corrected reciprocal relationships phase

From 3 years onwards; children organize efforts to be near their parents.

Internal working models

Cognitive representations of oneself and others that guide social information processing and relationship behavior.

Securely attached infants

Infants who develop secure internal working models and expect relationships to be lovable.

Insecurely attached infants

Infants who develop difficult-to-love internal working models.

Strange Situation

A research method developed by Mary Ainsworth involving a sequence of eight episodes to measure attachment quality between a child and caregiver.

Separation anxiety

Children's wariness or fretfulness when separated from their parent, peaking between 14 and 18 months.

Attachment categories

Different classifications of attachment: Secure, Insecure (resistant/ambivalent, avoidant), and Disorganized/Disoriented.

Cultural variations in attachment

Different attachment behaviors observed in cultures, for example, Japanese infants show no insecure/avoidant behavior due to cultural closeness.

Parental sensitivity

A key factor in promoting secure attachment, involving being responsive to a child's needs.

Positive effects of secure attachment

Includes better cognitive, emotional, and social development, as well as positive peer relationships.

Long-term effects of attachment patterns

Securely attached children tend to have positive internal models of attachment and better emotional expression.

Peer acceptance

The degree to which a child is accepted by their peers, influenced by their attachment styles and early relationships.