Attachment Style

Using the information you learned in the Infancy and Toddlerhood units, along with the information for the early adulthood unit, please write a 2-3 page paper (double spaced, Times New Roman, 12-point font) about your attachment style.

The development styles in human life at various stages have peculiar attributes that have some differences. In this context, the attachment styles of adult and child are different from each other. The concepts of “internal working model” and “attachment style,” are crucial for comprehensive understanding of personality development. However, this paper will explore these definitions, types of attachment styles, comparison of adult attachment vs. child attachment, and analysis of personal attachment along with interesting aspect of attachment theory.

The internal working model refers to particular psychological framework developed during the early childhood of an individual due to interaction with persons who take care and give attention. Such framework is the demonstration of particular personality traits due to which an individual makes expectations and displays emotional response in future life. In other words, this model is crucial for interpersonal bonds spanning over life time duration. On the other hand, attachment style deals with thinking, emotional and behavioral patterns displayed by any individual in relationships. Internal working model shapes these patterns which become stable with the passage of time (Fraley & Roisman, 2019). Attachment styles portray four primary types. First one is secure attachment; individuals have positive views about respective partners as they had responsive caregivers at early ages. Second form is anxious attachment where individuals remain worried about rejection feelings and had non-consistent parenting in childhood time. Another form is avoidant attachment where individuals remained emotionally detached and become self-reliant. The last form of attachment is disorganized one where individuals had experienced fighting guardians or parenting in childhood.

Furthermore, Fraley & Roisman (2019) concluded that attachment styles of adulthood have roots in child attachment styles. Meanwhile, there are several differences between these two attachment styles. For example, in childhood, the main dependency of individual relates to survival while in adulthood, the elements of support, emotions and romance security from partner is involved. Secondly, adult attachment styles revolve around mutual dependency while in childhood, such mutualism is absent. Similarly, adulthood attachment style is adorned with elements of romance while childhood relates to parenting relationships only. Another difference relates to cognitive complexity. Adult individuals experience complex models of cognitive growth while in childhood, such complexity does not exist.

However, if I analyze my own attachment style based on the survey responses, the anxiety score on the scale ranges as 3.67. On the same hand, avoidance score on scale is 1.88. These are the results from a range of low (1) to high (7). Concerning these results, my attachment style falls in secure attachment zone. As far as the implications in future are concerned, these are positive, according to my viewpoint. The low score on the grounds of anxiety and avoidance pose secure feelings from the partners and there is no fear of rejection in this context. In other words, I have satisfying type of relationship inclination accordion to survey results. Another positive implication of such attachment is lacking depression and psychological issues pertaining to relationships. Moreover, in normal routine life, the results predict self-relied and emotionally balanced attachments. Overall, the implications of quoted attachment styles are positive and encouraging.

However, the most interesting aspect of attachment theory relates to childhood experiences and their ultimate impacts on adulthood and even throughout life. The profound effects of childhood experiences shape emotional well-being leading to prolonged interpersonal relationships. The theory infers that quality of such relationship and surrounding bonds are direct manifestation of individuals’ attachment style at their infancy stage. In this context, the developed patterns of human personality concerning trust and closeness leads to adult relationships in future life. In other words, attachment theory gives valuable insights of foundational framework of personal behaviors at adulthood level.

References

Fraley, R. C., & Roisman, G. I. (2019). The development of adult attachment styles: Four lessons. Current opinion in psychology, 25, 26-30.