Attachment theory

Attachment theory is a psychological theory developed by John Bowlby.

In the first years of life, infants are designed (biologically hardwired) for their survival to rely on someone, called the caregiver. They may have multiple caregivers.

An attachment figure is defined as a caregiver that provides those three main functions:

• proximity maintenance: the caregiver should provide safety and comfort
• secure base: place from which the infant can explore the world
• safe haven: place to come back when things get scary

A true attachment figure has the following additional criteria:

• threat of separation should cause anxiety
• loss of the attachment figure should cause grief

There are multiple types of attachment styles:

• secure
• anxious: insecure attachment type
• avoidant: insecure attachment type
• disorganized

Resources

The Attachment Effect by Peter Lovenheim