THE CONCEPT OF INFANT ATTACHMENT

Question: "Why is 'attachment' such an important concept in explaining human behavior?"

One important reason why infant attachment is critical in explaining human behavior is that if it is a valid construct, then all who are born of woman experience its effects.

A more specific example concerns premature infants, or other newborns who require special medical care which limits parental contact. The extent to which such physical and eye contact, or other forms of adult-infant communication, must occur during a critical postnatal period may bear directly on the processes of emotional and physical development of such children. When babies have to go into isolation for specialized care, it may be difficult to know whether effects on the behavior of mother or baby come from the separation itself or from the underlying reason(s) the baby had to go into the unit (Macfarlane, 1977).

Aside from pathological situations like this, if attachment or bonding must occur immediately following birth, important implications exist for obstetric or birthing practitioners in order to maximize the child's chances for emotional wellness later in life. It has even been postulated by psychoanalysts and others that our notion of adult romantic love has its roots in infant attachment.

REFERENCE

Macfarlane, Aidan (1977). The Psychology of Childbirth, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

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Thomas S. Rue, MA, NCC
December 29, 1991

Psychological and Quantitative Foundations 7P:109
The University of Iowa - College of Education
Socialization of the School Age Child - Assignment #4
© 1991, Thomas S. Rue

Thomas Rue 1991-1993.
All rights reserved.