Attachment is the emotional bond that the baby develops with his parents or caregivers according to the type of relationship established between them. The psychologist John Bowlby formulated the Theory of attachment. Bowlby counted as a collaborator in one of his research papers with Mary Ainsworth, who defined three types of link.
Dr. Ainsworth developed a process, called the Strange-Situation procedure, to examine the nature of attachment in children. Through this experiment the mother and the child are observed in a sequence of situations that moved the mother away and a strange person approached.
The behavior of the child in each of these situations was observed and evaluated, and according to his reactions we can talk about several types of bond: the secure bond, the insecure bond (evasive or resistant) and the anxious bond.
- Secure link. Caregivers are the safety base when they are distressed. They have caregivers sensitive to their needs, and that is why they are confident that their attachment figures will be available and will respond and help them in adversity. Confidence prevails, despite doubts and discomfort. Babies who show a secure bond at one year of age are, in later stages, more cooperative and express more positive affections and less aggressive behaviors and avoidance towards the mother and other lesser-known adults, than babies who show insecure bonds. They are also subsequently shown more competent and compassionate in the interaction with parents.
- The insecure bond, which can be elusive or resistant. Apparent disinterest and detachment from the presence of caregivers during periods of distress, which are few: the child shows little distress for separation. They have little confidence that they will be helped, insecurity towards others, fear of intimacy. They prefer to stay apart from others, and do not approach the mother. The trust in the link has been lost or could not be established optimally. The child ignores the mother or primary caregiver when present.
- The anxious-ambivalent bond (disoriented), which would also enter into insecurity. Respond to separation with intense anguish and mix attachment behaviors with expressions of protest, anger and resistance. Due to the inconsistency in the emotional abilities of their caregivers, these children have no expectations of confidence regarding the access and response of their caregivers. When the mother returns she does not approach her and is confused and disoriented.
According to Ainsworth, if the primary ties were insecure, there would be difficulty in the expression and proper control of sexuality and aggression. And although these premises have been questioned because they can be considered too decisive and fatalistic, the truth is that, depending on the case, there may be certain repercussions.
We know that the bond between parents and children is key to self-esteem, and children with secure attachment are the ones who actually know best how to separate from their parents and interact with other people, since they know that in a situation of need their parents are there and They will come to your call, in your help.
The nature of our first links can influence to a greater or lesser extent in our later life, not only in our future relationships, but also in the development of behaviors such as play and exploration.
It is natural that the baby has a tendency to seek proximity with a person and feel safe when that person is present.
It depends on us the kind of bond we develop with our babies, and from the moment they are born we can approach them, knowing them, discovering them, attending to them and understanding them more and more, even when the forces and the confidence in ourselves fail.
