| www.anxietyattackstreatmentblog.com A psychoanalyst named John Bowlby researched extensively in child development and came up with the idea of attachment theory, which is still very influential today and has been built upon since. The idea has to do with how infants bond with their caregivers and how that affects their development. In its very basic form, attachment theory classifies individuals into 3 different attachment styles: secure, anxious/ambivalent, and avoidant. If the infant抯caregiver (primarily the mother or parents) is responsive to their needs, the infant develops a secure attachment style. If the caregiver is inconsistently responsive, sometimes there and sometimes not, the infant develops an anxious/ambivalent style. If the caregiver is not responsive, the infant develops an avoidant attachment style. Generally, secure individuals easily form normal relationships, anxious/ambivalent individuals are worried about their relationships and might get involved in them excessively, and avoidant individuals are more withdrawn in relationships. |
