Evaluate the contribution of John Bowlby to the development of the theory of attachment.

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Tutor:  Ian Rivers

Student:  Ian Walbridge

Subject:  Psychology of child development (2PY020).

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Essay question: Evaluate the contribution of John Bowlby to the development of the theory of attachment.

01/05/07

Evaluate the contribution of John Bowlby to the development of the theory of attachment.

 “Bowlby drew the model of branching developmental pathways (a tree lying on its side) wherein change is always possible but is constrained by the branching pathways previously chosen” (Sroufe, 1986) p.842.

This rather basic analogy helps understand that for development to be successive, an early base of good upbringing (pathways) is to be needed.  Our early experiences can be of great importance as each successive adaptation is a product of new situations and our development to that point.  The ability to differentiate between adults in infancy is the start of attachment, and it is attachment where John Bowlby believes great importance should be emphasised to develop stable mental health.  Bowlby is considered to have built upon earlier psychoanalytical work and could be seen as a “coherent part of the theoretical evolution begun by Freud” (Sroufe, 1986).  Bowlby began his research on the effect of separation from parents on children during the Second World War, be it through death or being an evacuee (Pervin, 1997).  From his studies, Bowlby was to make two hypotheses: (1) That the quality of any attachment relationship depends on the quality of care experienced with that partner and (2) that the quality of primary attachment relationships strongly influences early personality organisation, especially the child’s concept of self and others (Sroufe, 1986).  Bowlby stressed that this child/caregiver attachment is different to any other attachment the child may form.

Bowlby believed that traditional theories did not explain why an intense attachment to the mother occurred and why separation caused such dramatic responses.  Controversy was to surround Bowlby (1953) with his assumption that the mother of an infant should be the sole caregiver/attachment figure.  What does seem apparent today is the suggestion that almost anyone can become the attachment figure.  This appears commonsensical when it is realised that grandparents, single fathers etc are now not uncommon to be the sole caregiver.  Studies in Zaire also point to evidence for multiple caregivers (Tronick et al, 1985).  Observations were made on the Efe pygmies of Zaire and it was noted that when the mother gives birth, the child is then passed around to several women.  The child is also breast fed by whoever is lactating; this resulted in the children developing multiple attachments.  Possibly in later life, Bowlby conceded and withdrew his earlier proposals of the mother staying at home to give care to the child.  Bowlby probably saw alternatives to the mother in the modern society, but initially his interest was aimed at the consequences of separation on attachment at an early age of the infant and caregiver.  These consequences were the suggestion that any individual with any kind of psychiatric disorder always show a disturbance in their social relationships and this is caused by a disturbed bonding in childhood.

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Bowlby (1969) was to describe three stages of behaviour that would develop if they were separated from their ‘secure’ attachment: protest, despair and detachment.  Further support for Bowlby was gained by Mary Ainsworth’s ‘strange situation’ experiments (1978). Harlow (1958) is another name that appears synonymous with any discussion on attachment.  Harlow was to produce further support for Bowlby by experimenting on Rhesus monkeys.  In this case the infant/caregiver separation resulted in the infant becoming disturbed, aggressive and withdrawn.  Further prolonged separation brought irreversible effects including the female growing to replicate this behaviour to her own offspring.  From these experiments ...

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