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The legacy of early attachments
1Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68588-0308, USA. rthompson1@unl.edu
Child Development
|June 3, 2000
Summary
Early relationships shape psychological development. Attachment security, influenced by caregiving and family changes, predicts later behavior and develops through representational models and parent-child interactions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Attachment theory examines early relationships' impact on psychological development.
- Continuity and change in early attachment security influence later behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate current knowledge on attachment security's origins and prediction of behavior.
- Propose future research directions on attachment security development and change.
Main Methods:
- Review existing research on attachment security.
- Analyze the impact of changing family circumstances and care quality.
- Examine the role of internal working models and representational development.
Main Results:
- Attachment security's influence peaks when internal working models mature.
- Changes in attachment security correlate with representational advances.
- Parent-child interactions shape developing representations after infancy.
Conclusions:
- Attachment security is dynamic, influenced by representational development and relational factors.
- Future research should explore concurrent relationship features like conflict negotiation and cooperation.
- Understanding the legacy of early attachments requires considering multiple relational dynamics.