Bowlby (1969; 1973; 1980) studied attachment theory as a biological ground for comprehending close, secure relationships. He recognized that children’s proximity-seeking behavior towards their mothers is a biological tendency with an evolutionary basis, rather than a learned behavior to satisfy one’s needs. As maintaining closeness is a fundamental need, infants’ behavior is directed towards achieving optimal proximity to the caregiver. Complex behaviors and communication are exhibited by infants to maintain maximum proximity to their caregiver. The manifestation happens through different attachment behavior (smiling, crying...) and is the typical adaptive response of a mammal to perceived threats. These patterns of attachment behavior develop
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They based their classification upon four different interaction behaviors towards the mother, which are contact and proximity seeking, contact maintenance, proximity and contact avoidance, and resistance to comforting and reassuring. Babies identified as "secure" (or type B) felt distress when the mother was not around, felt uncomfortable with the stranger when the mother is not around, but were playful when she is. These babies are happy when their mother returns to the room and use her as a safe base to explore their environment. However, avoidant (type A) babies show little to no signs of distress when the mother leaves, are indifferent to the stranger, and show barely any interest when the mother returns to them. Babies who belong to the third insecure classification, resistant (type C), show intense signs of distress at the departure of the mother, fear of the stranger, and display ambivalent behavior when reunited with the mother. These babies often cry more and tend to be less explorative and …show more content…
Hazan and Shaver (1987) speculated Bowlby’s ideas in the context of adult relationships. The emotional connection that happens between adult romantic partners can be viewed as a function of the same motivational system that brings about the bond between a child and a caregiver. They found that both relationships share these common features: seeking proximity, bodily contact, and insecurity when the other is unavailable. They argued that both adult romantic relationships and infant-caregiver relationships are attachments that both abide by the properties of an attachment behavioral system.
Consistent with attachment theory, empirical research and longitudinal studies have shown that the attachment dynamics in childhood often proceed into adulthood. These manifestations are then observed through parenting (e.g., Bartholomew, 1990, 1993; Main, Kaplan, & Cassidy, 1985; Shaver, Hazan, & Bradshaw, 1988; Weiss,
They based their classification upon four different interaction behaviors towards the mother, which are contact and proximity seeking, contact maintenance, proximity and contact avoidance, and resistance to comforting and reassuring. Babies identified as "secure" (or type B) felt distress when the mother was not around, felt uncomfortable with the stranger when the mother is not around, but were playful when she is. These babies are happy when their mother returns to the room and use her as a safe base to explore their environment. However, avoidant (type A) babies show little to no signs of distress when the mother leaves, are indifferent to the stranger, and show barely any interest when the mother returns to them. Babies who belong to the third insecure classification, resistant (type C), show intense signs of distress at the departure of the mother, fear of the stranger, and display ambivalent behavior when reunited with the mother. These babies often cry more and tend to be less explorative and …show more content…
Hazan and Shaver (1987) speculated Bowlby’s ideas in the context of adult relationships. The emotional connection that happens between adult romantic partners can be viewed as a function of the same motivational system that brings about the bond between a child and a caregiver. They found that both relationships share these common features: seeking proximity, bodily contact, and insecurity when the other is unavailable. They argued that both adult romantic relationships and infant-caregiver relationships are attachments that both abide by the properties of an attachment behavioral system.
Consistent with attachment theory, empirical research and longitudinal studies have shown that the attachment dynamics in childhood often proceed into adulthood. These manifestations are then observed through parenting (e.g., Bartholomew, 1990, 1993; Main, Kaplan, & Cassidy, 1985; Shaver, Hazan, & Bradshaw, 1988; Weiss,