Impact of Attachment
Children who are attached become seriously and visibly distressed if the parent or caregiver decides to leave. At times they can cry uncontrollably. However, they turn delighted and excited at the sight of the parent. If distressed, in pain or afraid, these children will turn to the caregiver or parent for comfort (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2012). Additionally, they are highly active in the presence of their parents and highly inactive when the caregiver or parent is not around.
Children who are not attached are highly disorganized in both behavior and thought. They lack an explicit attachment behavior and are extremely volatile. They are extremely silent and repulsive toward the caregiver or guardian. If wronged or in fear, they result in crying and violence as a defense (McLeod, 2018). They portray extreme dislike and avoidance and are highly resistant.
If an attachment is shown to a child for long, even toward adulthood, the individual becomes exceptionally active while those who had no attachment are passive. They become incredibly reliant on others, while those who had no attachment can easily detach from caregivers and are self-reliant and independent (Bretherton, 1992). However, they also become socially distanced from others and find it had to interact with people. While those with an attachment are social and can easily communicate with others
According to Bowlby’s and Ainsworth’s theories, attachment is a life long bond connecting two persons. The characteristics of an attached individual show a strong bond between the child and the caregiver or parent, while those with no attachment show a weaker bond (Saul McLeod, 2017). This fact is evident where it is harder for an attached child to leave their caregivers patronage as an adult than for a nonattached child.
References
Bretherton, I. (1992). The Origins of Attachment Theory: John Bowlby And Mary Ainsworth. Developmental Psychology, 28, 759-775.
McLeod, S. (2018). Mary Ainsworth: The Strange Situation | Attachment Styles. Retrieved from Simply Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/mary-ainsworth.html
Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. r. (2012). An attachment perspective on psychopathology. World Psychiatry, 11(1), 11-15.
Saul McLeod. (2017). Attachment Theory. Retrieved from Simply Psychology: https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html