Bowlby theory about attachment what is, stages and characteristics

Attachment is one of the strongest affective bonds experienced by the human being, which entails looking for closeness with loved ones, especially in times of sadness and insecurity. Although the concept of attachment has its origin in the theories about the love that Sigmund Freud raised, it really took relevance from the studies of British psychoanalyst John Bowlby developed between 1969 and 1980. The result of the work done by Bowlby in the institutions that housed children who were without the maternal figure, led him to formulate the attachment theory, which is considered the deepest research that has been done so far on this issue.

John Bowlby (1907-1990) believed that the attachment formed from early childhood is fundamental for the subsequent emotional development of the individual. In addition, he stated that it is a lasting connection that is naturally presented in humans. In this Psychology-online article, we will explain in detail the Bowlby theory about attachment, its stages and its main characteristics.

1. What is John Bowlby's theory about attachment
2. Bowlby theory phases
3. Attorney Characteristics according to Bowlby theory
4. The types of attachment according to John Bowlby
5. Importance of safe attachment according to Bowlby

What is John Bowlby's theory about attachment

The psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby developed the attachment theory, in which he establishes that the experiences and links that are created in the Early childhood They play a fundamental role for the development and subsequent behavior of human beings.

What does the attachment theory propose

John Bowlby's theory states that infants develop an attachment style according to the way they relate to their caregiver. Bowlby argued that Attachment is part of human nature. In fact, it started from the belief that our ancestors had not been able.

Bowlby also supported the works of Mary Ainsworth for the development of attachment theory and had a strong influence for Lorenz's imprint theory. Therefore, since they are born, boys and girls already come with a biological reprogramming to establish links necessary that will help you survive.

Next, we will see other applications of Bowlby theory:

• States that attachment behaviors They are activated before any threat or risk, as insecurity, fear or separation.
• States that fear towards strange people is a Innate Survival Mechanism and that has served for the preservation of the human species. In this article you will find more information about what fear in psychology is.
• The you drink They show true behaviors that activate proximity to the caregiver Or the attachment figure that is usually the mother. For example, laughing, crying or crawling are behaviors that are only developed by human beings to activate the caregiver's alerts or parents.

Therefore, Bowlby's theory is based on the fact that human beings, babies and mothers maintain an innate need to have mutual contact. In this sense, for the baby, the caregiver is a safe base that allows him to explore the world with confidence. If this connection is interrupted, this can generate serious consequences for the behavior and subsequent emotional development of the individual.

Bowlby theory phases

According to John Bowlby theory, the attachment is not immediately formed at birth but goes through different stages or phases. In addition, the most common is that they occur in the mother-child interrelation, although they also appear between the baby and his caregiver. Thus, the phases of attachment according to Bowlby's theory are the following:

1. PREPEGO PHASE

The first of the stages of Bowlby's attachment theory that occurs in the first weeks of life. In it, the baby accepts anyone who can offer security and comfort. This makes the child do not have any preference for someone in specific. In this phase, it is normal for the infant develop innate behaviors to get the care of your caregiver. In addition, it is a fairly weak bond, in which the first attachment samples are barely appreciated.

2. Training phase

In general, the second of the phases of Bowlby theory takes place between 6 weeks of life and 8 months. In it, the First signs of anguish before separation of your caregiver. However, special attention to the infant to the maternal figure is not yet observed. In fact, it does not reject interaction with other adults.

3. Attachment phase

This phase of Bowlby's attachment theory starts from 6 to 8 months of age and usually lasts up to 2 years. This is the stage in which The true emotional bond of attachment is formed. The infant will get angry if he separates from his mother and will even show signs of physical rejection towards other adults. In this phase, the boy or girl will do everything possible to get their mother's attention.

4. Phase of reciprocal relationships

Normally, this stage begins from 2 years of age. In it, the little one or the little one identifies that the mother's absence is not permanent and, therefore, You will begin to calm your anxiety a bit. It is common to see that in this phase of Bowlby's theory, the slightest plans the mother's return to him, especially by the appearance of language as a means to communicate.

At the end of this stage, a solid affective link And that will be permanent. Now, the infant knows that his mother and father are stopped, even if they are not always physically with him or her.

Attorney Characteristics according to Bowlby theory

According to John Bowlby, the 4 main features of attachment are the following:

• Proximity maintenance: Desire to remain close to the people with whom the link has been established.
• Safe base: It allows exploring and discovering the world with greater confidence by feeling greater security and autonomy.
• He refuge to seek comfort before any threat, fear or insecurity.
• The Anguish by separation that is generated, not because of the attachment itself, but by feeling of the absence of the same.

The types of attachment according to John Bowlby

Also, within the attachment theory postulated by John Bowlby, the psychologist explained that there are the following types of attachment:

• TOSAFE PEGO: One of the types of attachment in which Infante is sure that the caregiver or parent will not fail him. Therefore, safe attachment is healthy. This happens because the caregiver provided sufficient security for the child, so that assertive and safe communication is established. Also, the child will feel safe, first of all, around him.
• Anxious and ambivalent attachment: It is caused by a very overprotective or ambivalent caregiver, whose care does not generate sufficient security. The result will be an individual with great anxiety, uncertainty and insecurity. People with this type of attach. In this article, we tell you how to overcome anxious attachment.
• Avitative attachment: It develops when caregivers do not give a safe environment to the child. As a result they develop emotional distancing and avoid contact. In the long run, this generates many stress quotas and even problems to establish interpersonal relationships. In this article you will find more information about the avoidative attachment: what is and how to overcome it.
• Disorganized attachment: One of the types of attachment caused by a negligent and carefree behavior of the caregiver. The boy or girl does not trust him or her and can even show fear. This causes the child to feel insecure and have explosive reactions because he does not know how to assert his emotions assertively. Discover more about disorganized attachment: what is, characteristics, consequences and how to treat it in this article

Importance of safe attachment according to Bowlby

A safe attachment will be decisive to develop a healthy mental model in the adult. In fact, he will allow to manage their emotions and relationships with others. When a positive concept of attachment is developed from childhood, positive feelings of security, well -being and trust will be experienced.

For its part, if the mental attachment model is negative, feelings such as distrust, anger and insecurity may arise. Therefore, it is key to understand the affective bond between caregivers and their children to understand the importance of childhood in human interrelations.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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