PSY 205 WEEK 2 ATTACHMENT PAPER

PSY 205 WEEK 2 ATTACHMENT PAPER Attachment Paper The assignment for this paper, (attachment paper), will be to discuss what I learned about attachment and the different variants it has about attachment concerning the areas of parenting style, gender, and culture. Behaviors found in children associated with being securely attached, insecurely attached, avoidant, disorganized, and resistant will also be discussed in this paper. Three other things will be addressed in this paper that includes; the short and long-term effects of secure attachment, how a caregiver can foster secure attachment. Cultural differences in how parents foster attachment will be the last of the three things to be discussed. Attachment is defined by Berk (2013), in this week’s reading as, “the strong, affectionate tie we have with special people in our lives that leads us to feel pleasure when we interact with them and to be comforted by their nearness in times of stress.” On-line website Psychology Today (2017), states, “The emotional bond that typically forms between infant and caregiver is the means by which the helpless infant gets primary needs met.” Why is attachment so important? Attachment is essential because a child exposed to secure (positive), the attachment will give the child an inner strength to step out into the world and experiment knowing that they have a loving support system behind them. From the very beginning of birth children are dependent on their parents/caregivers for love and nurturing among other things, that will help them prevail in the future. There are different attachment styles, the first one that we will discuss is the secure attachment. When children reach the secured attachment stage, they usually are content, happy and have been made to feel secure by parents/caregivers which promotes them to go and explore the world outside of the one that they have grown accustomed to. They understand that their parent/caregiver may not be there in the presence, but they are there when they, in fact, need them. The parents/caregivers love and nurturing will never change, it will stay consistent with the child throughout life. Children plagued by having issues dealing with insecure attachment may often be filled with anxieties due to having trust issues with their parents/caregivers. The child feels neither good nor bad about whether they are in the presence of their parent/caregiver and is anxious most of the time. Children who are developed under insecure attachment differ from those developed under secure attachment where they may not be as explorative and may seem extremely distant when it comes to displaying any emotions. Behaviors in children associated with avoidance include being nonresponsive while the parent is present, and seems unbothered by their absence. They may also incur showing no feeling or emotions when their parents or caregivers return or show them some affection, the same way that they would treat a stranger. Resistant attachment occurs in the behavior of children when they seek intimacy from a parent/caregiver before the actual separation happens which causes them to have problems exploring things on their own. Disorganized attachment in children causes them to display behaviors such as contradictory and confused behaviors upon the return of their parent/caregiver. Some children who exhibit this type of attachment may also show behaviors such as crying out, show little to no emotion when they are finally being consoled, or just having a bewildered/disoriented look upon their faces. The secure attachment has both long and short-term effects, some of the short-term effects would include; children being more happy, proficient, cooperative, and compassionate than children who may have experiences with insecure attachment. Some long-term effects would include the child wanting to be like their parent idolizing them, having better longer lasting relationships with family and friends, and more confidence than children with insecure attachment issues. Availability and being attentive are two ways that a caregiver can foster secure attachment with the child. Being available and attentive enhances the child’s self-esteem and gives them the support that they need to spread their wings, be spontaneous and grow. In conclusion, it is important that parents and caregivers understand the importance of both secure and insecure attachments in hopes of promoting a healthy future for their children. People from different demographics and culture go about fostering secure attachment in diverse ways, it’s good to comprehend their ways and possibly take things that may work for you and make your situation better. References; Berk, L., (2013). Development Through the Lifespan. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix. Psychology Today, (). Attachment. Retrieved from