What do you think about what they said?
DIRECTIONS:
For your response posts, do the following:
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Reply to at least two classmates outside of your own initial post thread, with at least two paragraphs for each response.
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Each response MUST include a scholarly source or scholarly sources.
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Demonstrate more depth and thought than saying things like “I agree” or “You are wrong.” Guidance is provided for you in the discussion prompt.
WRITTEN BY: JADE BRAUER
Hello everyone,
Understanding the characteristics of securely and insecurely attached children can provide valuable insights into how these early relationships shape individuals throughout their lives. Attachment Theory, introduced by John Bowlby and expanded through Mary Ainsworth’s research, suggests that early attachments shape one’s self-perception, relationships, and behavior into adulthood (Li, 2020). Securely attached children typically exhibit several key characteristics, such as seeking comfort from their caregivers when distressed, showing a healthy level of independence, and being able to explore their environment with confidence. They are often more socially competent and demonstrate better emotional regulation. In contrast, insecurely attached children may display anxiety, avoidance, or ambivalence in relationships. For instance, anxious children might cling to caregivers and fear separation, while avoidant children may shun closeness and prefer to be alone.
Attachment can profoundly affect individuals as adults, influencing their relationships, emotional well-being, and coping mechanisms. Adults with secure attachment styles tend to have healthier, more stable romantic relationships and exhibit higher self-esteem. Conversely, when a person’s attachment figures are not reliably available and supportive, proximity seeking fails to relieve distress, felt security is undermined, negative models of self and others are formed, and the likelihood of later emotional problems and maladjustment increases (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2012). Those with insecure attachment styles may struggle with intimacy, exhibit higher levels of anxiety and dissatisfaction in relationships, and often have difficulty trusting others.
Bowlby’s theory emphasized the evolutionary significance of attachment, positing that secure attachments provide a safe base for exploration and development. Bowlby’s attachment research proved that the parent-child bonds, not the feeding needs, were vital in forming secure attachments in children (Li, 2020). Ainsworth expanded on this with her Strange Situation experiment, which identified distinct attachment styles through observable behaviors. The strange situation procedure was designed to be novel enough to elicit exploratory behavior and yet not so strange that it would evoke fear and heighten attachment behavior at the outset (McLeod, 2024).
From my perspective, these insights resonate with my beliefs about the importance of nurturing relationships in early childhood. I have observed in my own life how the dynamics of attachment can play out in friendships and family interactions. Witnessing individuals with secure attachments often navigate challenges with resilience has reinforced my understanding of the long-term impacts of early relationships.
References:
Li, P. (2020, April 11).
Attachment theory – Bowlby & Ainsworth. Parenting for Brain.
McLeod, S. (2024, January 17).
Mary Ainsworth: Strange situation experiment & attachment theory. Simplypsychology.org.
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2012). An attachment perspective on psychopathology.
World Psychiatry,
11(1), 11–15.
WRITTEN BY: RAYLYNN HAMPTON
Hi Everyone!
Different parenting styles can lead to different attachment patterns in infants and children. hese attachment patterns/theories are derived from the idea that your early interpersonal connections and experiences can have an affect on your behaviors as a child and later in life (Rosen, 2012). A securely attached child has had a more intimate relationship with their parent, where the parent was more attentive and sensitive to their needs. This does not necessarily mean that they were overbearing though. Children who are securely attached feel safer when exploring the world on their own and have more autonomy because they believe that they will be safe and have someone to call upon if they need them (Rosen, 2012). Authoritative and permissive parenting styles seem like they would be most likely to produce a secure attachment. With the authoritative parenting style, children tend to be more self-resilient, have good social skills and high self-esteem. Permissive parenting styles can lead to being disobedient, impulsive, and being overly-reliant on the parent (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2007).
When a child has an insecure attachment, they simply don’t feel safe. They would have a harder time connecting with people and have lower emotional intelligence skills. The Uninvolved parenting style would lead to a child with an insecure attachment and this could lead to behaviors such as low emotional intelligence, delinquency and trouble in school (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2007). As infants, these babies cry a lot because they don’t feel comforted by their parents (Bretherton, 1992).
Because attachment can impact you as a child, naturally as an adult it can make a difference as well. When a child has to grow up without a reliable parent, an adult can struggle with feeling secure within themselves, have little resilience skills, and just have a fairly unstable mental foundation (Mikulincer, 2012). They can become very insecure and this causes issues with their adult relationships and can make them feel hopeless. When an adult had a good, reliable relationship with their caretakers, they have much better emotional regulation.
This relates to Bowlby and Ainsworth’s theories because Bowlby describes attachment as happening in four different stages, and the results of these stages can explain why babies may behave the way they do when they are around their caretakers or around strangers.
References
Bretherton, I. (1992). The origins of attachment theory: John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 759–775.
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2012). An Attachment Perspective on Psychopathology. World Psychiatry, 11(1), 11–15.
Ormrod, T. M. M. E. (2010, July 20). Parenting styles. Education.com.
Rosen, M.K.U.L. H. (2012). Social Development. Guilford Publications, Inc..
