what is attachment
home / study / social sciences / psychology definitions / attachment. Attachment is a strong emotional connection, such as the bond between a child and caregiver. In psychology, the concept of attachment helps explain development and personality. In the 1950s, research by Harry Harlow suggested that baby monkeys (and, analogously, human infants) desire not merely to be fed but to connect emotionally with a caregiver.
ence. Persistent attachment representations allow positive secure base experiences to guide behaviour when someone “stronger and wiser” is not at hand (Bowlby, 1985). The early relationship between caregiver and baby acts as an external system for the child’s internal regulation. Attachment is, in many ways, a measure of self-control. The growing infant who began being totally dependent on mother for soothing, stimulation and emotional regulation, grad-ually claims the ability to manage alone. In other words: “early development entails