Question

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1)Attachment styles founded by Bowlby. So, What are the attachment styles first described by Bowlby, and later elaborated upon by Hazan and Shaver?

2)How each attachment style looks like, and What are the similarities seen in infant-caregiver and adult attachment styles?

Answer 1

1) Attachment is defined as a well-built emotional bond established between an infant and the caregiver through which the infant derives emotional strength. John Bowlby was the first one to propound the attachment theory to recognize the distress through which infants undergo when they are moved away from their parents. According to Bowlby, attachment also served an evolutionary function that would protect and enhance the chances of survival for the infants who remain close to their parents as they are dependent on them for food, care, and protection.

For Bowlby, attachment emerges in the form of the following four stages:
1.     Pre-attachment stage (from birth till 6 weeks)
2.     "Attachment-in-the-making" phase (from 6 weeks to 6-8 months)
3.     Clear attachment phase (from 6-8 months till 18 months to 2 years)
4.     Establishment of a reciprocal relationship (from 18 months till 2 years and onwards)

Though Bowlby focused exclusively on the infant-caregiver attachment styles, he firmly believed that the patterns of attachment developed during infancy also lay the foundation for attachment in adulthood.

Hazan and Shavar in 1987 further extended Bowlby’s theory in the context of romantic relationships. They focused on the three primary attachment styles (secure, avoidant, and ambivalent), developed by Mary Ainsworth taking place during infancy and childhood. They found that these three attachment styles are prevalent even in adulthood and that adults exhibit these styles in their romantic relationships as well.

2)     Mary Ainsworth studied infant-parent separations and identified individual differences in the forms of attachment. Through her strange-situation technique, she came up with three major styles of attachment: secure, avoidant, and anxious-ambivalent. Later on, Main along with Solomon added another style of attachment known as a disorganized-insecure form of attachment.

Secure Attachment Style: Securely-attached children become disturbed when their caregivers go away and become happy when they return. These children tend to seek comfort in the presence of their parents or caregiver. In the later stages of their childhood, these children tend to be more empathetic, less aggressive and disruptive, and more mature. Adults who have a secure attachment style are likely to have long-term, trusting relationships. They tend to have a high amount of self-esteem, seek social support, and can share their feelings with other people.

Avoidant Attachment Style: Children with this type of attachment style are likely to avoid their parents or caregivers. These children display no inclination either for a parent or a caregiver and a stranger.
While adults with avoidant attachment tend to have difficulties in intimacy and forming close relationships. They do not contribute emotions in relationships and feel distressed when the relationship ends.

Ambivalent-Attachment Style: Children who exhibit an ambivalent form of attachment style are likely to be suspicious of strangers. They get distressed when separated from their parents or caregiver, but at the same time do not feel comforted upon the return of the parent. Adults displaying this style tend to frequently feel hesitant upon getting close to other people and worry whether their partner will reciprocate their feelings. These people end up feeling distraught, post the end of a relationship.

Disorganized Attachment Style: Children with disorganized-attachment styles tend to demonstrate a lack of clear-cut attachment. They tend to show a mixture of behaviors such as avoidance or resistance and may appear apprehensive or confused when the caregiver is present. Later on, they may adopt a parental role and start acting as a caregiver towards their parent.

Research indicates that adult attachment is shaped by a similar motivational system that formed the close emotional relationship between the parents or caregivers and their children. Hazan and Shaver believe that there are a lot of features that are similar in infant-caregiver and adult romantic relationships.

Both tend to feel safe when the other person is close and responsive
Both tend to engage in intimate bodily contact
Both tend to feel insecure when the other is not accessible
Both tend to do “baby-talk”
Both share their feelings

However, some researchers also indicate that in between childhood and adulthood, there are many intervening factors that may influence attachment styles.