Ainsworth (as cited in Burger, 2015, p. 143), singles out three types of relations between parents and a child. First of all, there is a secure type of relations. It presupposes mothers’ attention and responsiveness to a child. Infants in this type of attachment feel secure and “tend to be happy and self-confident” (Burger, 2015, p. 143). The second type includes anxious-ambivalent relationships in which mothers do not demonstrate particular attention or responsiveness. In this type of relations, children are frequently anxious when separated from mothers and cannot be calmed by other adults. The third type is avoidant relationships. Mothers in this type of relations are also not responsive or attentive, but the children develop certain emotional detachment and do not demonstrate anxiety when a mother leaves. I think that I can be described by a secure type of relations. My mother has always been caring for me, and I believe I will be attentive and responsive to my children. As I recall my childhood memories, I remember that my mother was always near me when I needed her, during all the important events in my life. I suppose this fact contributed to my self-confidence.
Another attachment theory was developed by Bowlby, and it is similar to that of Ainsworth (Lane, 2016). It includes four types such as secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, avoidant attachment, and disorganized attachment. The first three types almost coincide with those of Ainsworth’s, and the fourth type means no strategy at all. One more typology was presented by Bartholomew (Shevlin, Boyda, Elklit, & Murphy, 2014). It includes four categories such as secure, fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing types, which makes it similar to Bowlby’s theory.
Attachment styles have a significant impact on the relationships because the relations with the first person whom a child contacts, a mother, form a model for further relations. Of course, environment also influences personality development, but childhood attachment is frequently decisive. Thus, the research by Shevlin et al. (2014) about adult attachment styles attempted to identify attachment typologies grounded in Bartholomew’s attachment styles. The research findings reveal the fact that adult relations are consistent with childhood attachment theories. Thus, attachment styles of four categories such as secure, fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing types according to Bartholomew’s theory were found among 445 research participants.
References
Burger, J.M. (2015). Personality (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Lane, G. (2016). The situational mentor: An international review of competencies and capabilities in mentoring. New York, NY: Routledge.
Shevlin, M., Boyda, D., Elklit, A., & Murphy, S. (2014). Adult attachment styles and the psychological response to infant bereavement. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5(1), 23295.