Attachment Through the Life Course[Professor Name]

[Class and Section Number]

Today’s Learning Objectives1. Explain the way the attachment system

works and its evolutionary significance.

2. Identify three commonly studied attachment patterns and what is known about the development of those patterns.

3. Describe what is known about the consequences of secure versus insecure attachment in adult relationships.

Warm Up

Think about a close personal relationship Spend a few minutes writing about this

relationship

Overview• Attachment Theory: History and Core Concepts• Individual Differences in Infant Attachment

• Antecedents

• Outcomes in Childhood• Attachment in Adulthood

• Romantic Love as an Attachment Bond• Finding a Partner• Relationship Functioning

• What is the Relationship between Early Attachment and Adult Attachment?

Attachment Theory

Attachment figure Attachment behaviors Attachment behavioral system has adaptive

value

Importance of Contact Comfort

Harry Harlow’s research asked: why do infants bond with their mothers?

Harlow's Research

Overview• Attachment Theory: History and Core Concepts• Individual Differences in Infant Attachment

• Antecedents

• Outcomes in Childhood• Attachment in Adulthood

• Romantic Love as an Attachment Bond• Finding a Partner• Relationship Functioning

• What is the Relationship between Early Attachment and Adult Attachment?

Individual Differences in Attachment

Strange Situation Developed by Mary

Ainsworth Assesses attachment sty

le

Three Styles: Secure Avoidant Anxious-Resistant

Antecedents of Attachment Style

Evaluate Your Attachment Style

What style of attachment bond did you form with your parents?

What kinds of experiences may lead to this attachment style?

Do you think this impacted your later relationships? Why or why not?

Applied Discussion

What advice would you give to parents who wish to ensure that their children form a secure attachment?

Overview• Attachment Theory: History and Core Concepts• Individual Differences in Infant Attachment

• Antecedents

• Outcomes in Childhood• Attachment in Adulthood

• Romantic Love as an Attachment Bond• Finding a Partner• Relationship Functioning

• What is the Relationship between Early Attachment and Adult Attachment?

Childhood Outcomes

Secure children likely to… Have better peer relationships Be better evaluated by teachers Persist on challenging tasks

Insecure (avoidant) children likely to…

Be classified as bullies Have difficulty making and

maintaining friendships

Overview• Attachment Theory: History and Core Concepts• Individual Differences in Infant Attachment

• Antecedents

• Outcomes in Childhood• Attachment in Adulthood

• Romantic Love as an Attachment Bond• Finding a Partner• Relationship Functioning

• What is the Relationship between Early Attachment and Adult Attachment?

Romantic Relationships are Attachments

Three Styles of Attachment SecureI find it relatively easy to get close to others and am comfortable depending on

them and having them depend on me. I don’t worry about being abandoned or about someone getting close to me.

AvoidantI am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others; I find it difficult to trust

them completely, difficult to allow myself to depend on them. I am nervous when anyone gets too close, and often, others want me to be more intimate than I feel comfortable being.

Anxious/ResistantI find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like. I often worry that

my partner doesn’t really love me or won’t want to stay with me. I want to get very close to my partner, and this sometimes scares people away.

Attachment and Dating

Tendency to have a partner of similar style Why?

Secure partners are attractive Influence of partner

Impact on Relationship Functioning

Higher security… More satisfying relationshipsLess conflictMore enduring relationshipsMore likely to provide support to partner in times of distress

Celebrity Attachment Style Break into small groups Each group assigned an

attachment style: Secure Avoidant Anxious/Resistant

Generate a list of celebrities who exhibit tendencies of this attachment style

Gather supporting evidence from online sources

Present your findings to the class

Applied Discussion

• What style of romantic attachment would you classify yourself as fitting into?

• What experiences lead you to this attachment style?

Overview• Attachment Theory: History and Core Concepts• Individual Differences in Infant Attachment

• Antecedents

• Outcomes in Childhood• Attachment in Adulthood

• Romantic Love as an Attachment Bond• Finding a Partner• Relationship Functioning

• What is the Relationship between Early Attachment and Adult Attachment?

Probabilistic Relationship

Early childhood attachment is only probabilistically related to adult attachment

Influence of Attachment Beyond Romantic Relationships

CAT: The Muddiest Point

What was the muddiest point in today’s class?

Write down what concept you are still struggling to understand.

Photo Attribution

Slide 1Photo Credit: Family - Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska Ian D. Keating https://www.flickr.com/photos/32008328@N08/18714216600/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Slide 3Photo Credit: Children blickpixel https://pixabay.com/en/children-love-friends-hand-flowers-512601/ https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en

Slide 5 Photo Credit: The First Shot Of Chota Singh Harsha K R https://www.flickr.com/photos/27526538@N07/5161008618/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Slide 6Photo Credit: Monkey Mom and Baby Adam Mizrahi https://www.flickr.com/photos/urbancityarch/15352432083/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Slide 8Photo Credit: Where's Mom? Scott Kinmartin https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottkinmartin/406020592/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Slide 10Photo Credit: Happy Baby Toss Kris https://www.flickr.com/photos/kables/513069008 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Slide 11Photo Credit: Ford Family Portraits: Mr. Isaiah Early Kamau Akabueze https://www.flickr.com/photos/kzaflicks/4873866291 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Slide 13Photo Credit: bimba, hua hin Johnny Micheletto https://www.flickr.com/photos/42042834@N03/3907023299/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Slide 15Photo Credit: La felicità nella luce della sera Leonard Domnguez https://www.flickr.com/photos/64565839@N00/5487717475/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Slide 17Photo Credit: Camden Sunday, instant hug Julie Kertesz https://www.flickr.com/photos/32323502@N00/5525028301/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Slide 18Photo Credit: Permisos. Nicolas Fuentes https://www.flickr.com/photos/unicocreativo/15745236098 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

Photo Attribution

Slide 19Photo Credit: Photo shoot Erica Minton https://www.flickr.com/photos/rrrrred/8728792661/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

Slide 20Photo Credit: Questions1 Grisel D´An https://www.flickr.com/photos/128454566@N06/15893429463 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

Slide 22Photo Credit: 10080026 moodboard https://www.flickr.com/photos/67835627@N05/7301107336 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Slide 23Photo Credit: Family Eating At The Table skeeze https://pixabay.com/en/family-eating-at-the-table-dining-619142/ https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en

Slide 24Photo Credit: Illustrated silhouette of a black cat nehtaeh79 http://www.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/16624 http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/