Attachment is the connection that an individual develops during the first year of life (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012). The attachment style varies depending upon the level of sensitivity and responsiveness that was provided in the first year of life by a caregiver. Attachment styles can range from, secure, preoccupied, fearful and dismissing.
A secure attachment is an attachment style that is developed when the caregiver was extremely sensitive and responsive to the baby’s needs. The outcome of this attachment is that the child will grow up to be trusting, and comfortable with maintaining relationships with others. Individuals who have secure attachments also tend to be very independent (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).
Individuals who have a preoccupied attachment, are individuals whose caregivers may have been sensitive and responsive, but not consistently. Individuals who have this type of attachment usually feel the need to constantly want to be close to others. They are very independent and they want close relationships, because they tend to be worried about abandonment(Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).
An individual with a fearful attachment tends to be distrustful of others. They also seek close relationships with others because they fear being abandoned, however they do not do very well with maintaining these relationships from their end. They are likely to be this way because they experienced either a neglectful or in some circumstances an abusive caregiver. This is not always the case but it is a possibility. They sometimes perceive that others will abandon them because it is possible that’s what they experienced with their caregiver.
The last attachment is, dismissing. A dismissing attachment style is where the individual tends to be self-reliant, and independent. Though these characteristics sound great, the reasons behind them are not. An individual who tends to be completely self-reliant and independent is usually this way because they have no interest in developing intimate relationships. This usually occurs because they were not able to develop an intimate relationship with their caregiver. This could mean that the caregiver was not always present or that when they were present they did not show any sensitivity or seem to be responsive to the child’s needs (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).
Although these attachments are developed within the first year of life, they are present throughout the entire lifespan. Our attachments reflect in how we maintain our relationships and friendships. It can also play a role in how we parent our children. Needless to say the development of an attachment between the child and caregiver is extremely important. With that being said, it is also important to understand that attachments can be changed. Attachment styles are shaped by experiences, unsuccessful behaviors can become those of the past with awareness and effort to build better relationships.
Disclaimer: This information should not be used to try and label the attachment style your boyfriend/girlfriend, friends, or any one for that matter. Attachment styles can only be properly studied in an experiment called the Strange Situation, developed by Mary Ainsworth. If you would like to see how the strange situation is done you can watch the video below. =)
Schneider,F. W., Gruman, J. A., and Coutts, L. M. (Eds.) (2012). Applied SocialPsychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nded.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Attachment theory may be the most interesting theory I ever learned about. I have even done my own research during my free time on attachment theory. You definitely described all attachments perfectly. I like that you added your disclaimer on the bottom the page. Attachment is not something that someone can just see. However, I feel that if you have knowledge of attachment theory and attachment styles, you can tell a lot about not only that person but also of their first years of life. I constantly find myself studying children while I am out with my own. Do they look around to see if their caregiver is there? Do they ask anyone for help, even if the person is a stranger? Do they prefer to be on their own, without a care in the world? Do they seem as though they do not know how to act or what to do? All of these questions can tell you a little bit about not only the attachment style this child has but also the parenting style of the caregiver.