Attachment Behavior Attachment behavior is characterized as being activated by the mother’s departure or by anything that might frighten the child. When the latter occurs proximity to the mother is very important for protection and comfort of the child. Attachment behavior was not allowed to be established during slavery. The slave owner did not want bonds to be created on the plantation for fear that if these bonds were developed, slaves would come together and revolt against the slave owner. Slaves were products to be sold and where needed for free labor and to build economics. Emotional and affectional bonds, put that practice at risk due to a natural propensity for a person to protect that which he or she has a deep emotional bond.
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When women had their children they were forced to go back to work right after giving birth. They were not able to protect their children or to comfort them. Children were left with little or no adult supervision during the day while adults were working. One slave stated “During slavery, it seemed lak yo’ chillum b’long to ev’ybody but you” (Dunaway, 2003). Many times children were permanently separated from their mother and sold many times to different plantations. “In sharp contrast, nearly two-thirds of all Appalachian slave sales separated children from their families—70 percent of these forced migrations occurring when they were younger than fifteen” (Dunaway, 2013). Children did not have an opportunity to bond and recognize their mother, therefore, attachment behavior may or may not have been activated but if activated, may not have been due to the mother’s departure. In addition, fathers were rarely sold with their wife and children (Dunaway, 2003). If slave families were together, it was without the presence of the father. Mother and child bonding put the slave owners economics at risk and during that time slaves were more profitable than tobacco, grains and livestock due to the
When women had their children they were forced to go back to work right after giving birth. They were not able to protect their children or to comfort them. Children were left with little or no adult supervision during the day while adults were working. One slave stated “During slavery, it seemed lak yo’ chillum b’long to ev’ybody but you” (Dunaway, 2003). Many times children were permanently separated from their mother and sold many times to different plantations. “In sharp contrast, nearly two-thirds of all Appalachian slave sales separated children from their families—70 percent of these forced migrations occurring when they were younger than fifteen” (Dunaway, 2013). Children did not have an opportunity to bond and recognize their mother, therefore, attachment behavior may or may not have been activated but if activated, may not have been due to the mother’s departure. In addition, fathers were rarely sold with their wife and children (Dunaway, 2003). If slave families were together, it was without the presence of the father. Mother and child bonding put the slave owners economics at risk and during that time slaves were more profitable than tobacco, grains and livestock due to the