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  • Essay / The Psychological Model of Attachment Theory

    Attachment theory is a psychological model that attempts to describe long-term and short-term relationships. However, attachment theory is not formulated as a general theory of relationships. It addresses how human beings respond in relationships when they are hurt, separated from loved ones, or perceive a threat. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. Essentially all infants become attached if given a caregiver, but there are individual differences in the quality of relationships. In infants, attachment as a motivational and behavioral system directs the child to seek the proximity of a familiar caregiver when alarmed, in the hope that he or she will receive protection and emotional support. John Bowlby believed that the tendency of infant primates to develop attachments to familiar caregivers was the result of evolutionary pressures, since attachment behavior would facilitate the infant's survival in the face of dangers such as predation or exposure to the elements. The most important theory of attachment is that an infant must develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for successful social and emotional development, and in particular for learning to effectively regulate their feelings. Any caregiver is also likely to become the primary attachment figure if they provide the majority of child care and associated social interactions. In the presence of a sensitive and responsive caregiver, the infant will use the caregiver as a “safe base” from which to explore. This relationship can be effective, as in the mother-child relationship; It is frequently studied in Western culture, or it may involve a community of caregivers (siblings/extended family/teachers), as can be seen in any field. It must be recognized that “even sensitive caregivers are only successful in about 50% of cases. Their communications are either out of sync or incompatible. Sometimes parents feel tired or distracted. In other words, adapted interactions break down quite frequently. But the mark of a sensitive caregiver is that ruptures are managed and repaired. Attachments between infants and caregivers form even if that caregiver is not sensitive and responsive in their social interactions with them. This has important implications. Infants cannot leave caregiving relationships that are unpredictable or unresponsive. Instead, they must manage themselves as best they can within such relationships. Based on research, it has been found that children will have different attachment patterns based primarily on how they experienced their caregiving environment early on. Early attachment patterns in turn shape – but do not determine – the individual's expectations in subsequent relationships. Four different classifications of attachment have been identified in children: secure attachment, anxious-ambivalent attachment, anxious-avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment. Secure attachment occurs when children feel they can rely on their caregivers to meet their needs for closeness, emotional support, and protection. It is considered the best attachment style. Anxious-ambivalent attachment occurs when the infant experiences separation anxiety when separated from the caregiver and does not feel reassured when the caregiver returns to the caregiver..