A follow-up to the child experiment (wow context really matters)
Ainsworth, M. D., & Bell, S. M. (1970). Attachment, exploration, and separation: illustrated by the behavior of one-year-olds in a strange situation. Child Development, 41(1), 49–67.
Main, M., & Solomon, J. (1986). Discovery of an insecure-disorganized/disoriented attachment pattern. In T. B. Brazelton & M. W. Yogman (Eds.), Affective Development in Infancy (pp. 95–124). Ablex Publishing
D'Onofrio, B., & Emery, R. (2019). Parental divorce or separation and children's mental health. World Psychiatry : Official Journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 18(1), 100–101. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20590
Introduction
This blog is a little more lighthearted and small, hence the non-professional title. It is actually a follow-up on the child attachment experiment from the previous blog-post.
Avoidant attachment is thought to develop during childhood and adolescence, particularly between the avoidant individual and their primary caregivers. Based on the emotional and physical reactions from the caregiver, the child is believed to create subconscious strategies for survival. In a study by Ainsworth, the behavior of infants was monitored after they were reunited with a caregiver following a long separation, revealing three key responses: 1) maintaining contact, 2) seeking proximity, and 3) avoiding proximity (Ainsworth & Bell, 1970). Additionally, a follow-up social study by Main & Solomon in 1986 introduced another classification, known as the D group, which exhibited characteristics of both the A and C groups (Main & Solomon, 1986).
The groups A, B, C, and D can currently be categorized as avoidant, secure, anxious, and disorganized (fearful) avoidant, respectively. Although this study is rooted in infancy, the factors that influenced the infants' responses can still be observed throughout their childhood and teenage years, solidifying a specific response pattern to various stimuli. This development often manifests as consistent affection or maladaptive behaviors aimed at shielding oneself from perceived threats, which largely depends on how the individual interacted with their closest family members during their upbringing. For instance, children of divorced parents tend to have a higher divorce rate themselves (D'Onofrio & Emery, 2019). This happens because these children lack an understanding of what secure affection looks like, leading to an unrealistic or even distorted view of healthy relationships. This tendency is especially evident in avoidant individuals, who often envision an ideal relationship that is excessively high in standards and must be “perfect” to avoid triggering their subconscious defense mechanisms.
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