According to psychologist John Bowlby and later attachment researchers, the way in which you interact and form relationships with others is largely determined in infancy. As babies almost exclusively interact with their parents, the relationship between babies and their parents serves as the basis for future relationships. While adult attachment styles are not identical to those of babies, your interaction and relationship styles generally change little between your early years and adulthood.
Secure
The majority of babies form a secure attachment with their parents. While temperamental factors play a role, secure attachment largely arises from parents who consistently and quickly respond to their baby's needs in a manner appropriate for the situation. A baby with a secure attachment style cries or is bothered when her parents are not around. Although strangers and other relatives may comfort her, a securely attached baby prefers her parents. Such babies are not afraid to explore, though they base these explorations around, and frequently return to, their parents to maintain a sense of security.
Avoidant
Avoidant or insecure-avoidant describes the attachment style of the next largest proportion of babies. Parents foster this attachment style by discouraging, failing to respond, or showing little response when their babies show distress. As this style of parenting encourages independence, avoidant babies show little response to the departure or return of their parents. These babies tend to respond the same to their peers, strangers, parents and other relatives, showing little affection and generally avoiding physical contact.
Resistant
The next largest group of babies demonstrates an attachment style known as resistant, ambivalent-resistant or insecure-resistant. While parents of such infants sometimes respond quickly, affectionately and appropriately, they are inconsistent and may be neglectful or may respond only after great effort on the baby's part. Resistant babies tend to cling to their parents, explore very little, and are not easily comforted by strangers. Like secure babies, those with a resistant attachment style show distress if their parents leave. However, resistant babies become angry or refuse to be held if their parents try to interact with them after returning from an absence.
Disorganized
A very small percentage of babies show a disorganized attachment style, failing to behave in a consistent way. Parents of such babies tend to be emotionally or physically abusive, withdrawn, frightening and confusing due to their inability to consistently express affection or other emotions. Babies with a disorganized attachment style often respond to parents, peers and strangers in contradictory ways, sometimes showing secure, resistant and avoidant styles with the same people. While their behavior is sometimes similar to that of babies with other attachment styles, a defining characteristic of this group is rocking back and forth, freezing or otherwise showing no response to anyone.
References
- "An Introduction to Developmental Psychology"; Alan Slater and Gavin Bremner; 2003
- "A Secure Base: Clinical Applications of Attachment Theory"; John Bowlby; 2005
- Positive Parenting Ally: The Four Infant Attachment Styles - Straight to the Point, Quick Understanding!
