According to John Bowlby, children develop an attachment to caregivers biologically as a result of genetics. He developed four stages of attachment beginning from infancy. The first stage is the pre-attachment period that begins from birth to six weeks, at this stage babies recognize a care taker's smell and voice, and they feel comfortable with these things. The second stage is an attachment in the making and falls in between the sixth week to 8 months. At this stage, the attachment gets intense, and they respond well to familiar people rather than strangers. Clear-cut attachment is the third stage falling in between the ages of 8 months to 18 months and is characterized by the strengthening of attachment to caregivers as well as stronger separation anxiety. Children at this stage want to be with their preferred caregivers the whole time. The final stage is the formation of reciprocal attachment between 18 months to 2 years, and at this period children begin to understand language, and as their parents arrive and leave for work, they exhibit reduced separation anxiety.
Mary Ainsworth expanded on Bowlby's idea by coming up with multiple types of insecure attachment. She identified four basic types of attachment. Secure attachment is the first type where children are comforted by their parents and display a clear preference for caregivers. The second category is Avoidance and is characterized by children avoiding contact with caregivers and showing little interest in play. Resistant type of children is the third group where both caregivers and strangers do not easily calm resistant type of children. The final group is disoriented attachment where a child gets distressed when the mother leaves and is relieved when she gets back.
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Attachment in the early stages influence the relationship of a child and sets a stage for their emotional and cognitive growth as well as communication development platforms. Supportive and loving parents start a positive psychological development for their children. The attachment experience is a root that will enable children to develop good communication, close and healthy sustaining relationships in the future, as well as good cognitive ability. The opposite will also be true where negative attachment affects future relationships for the affected, and their mental development is hindered.
References
John Bowlby (2010). Attachment Theory across Generations (Davidson Films, Inc.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljZ4a8Uc8Q
Mary Ainsworth's (2010). Strange Situation: Attachment and the Growth of Love. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFCQLshYL6w
Mary Ainsworth and Attachment Theory. (n.d). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/articles/mary-ainsworth-and-attachment-theory/
