Does Early Attachment Predict

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of normal living. Through these the experimenter observes the infant/caregiver interaction, the infant's reaction to separation with the primary caregiver and the infant's reaction to strangers. Ainsworth asserted that infants display three types of attachment quality: secure, resistant (insecure) and avoidant (insecure), and found that generally about 65% of the population have secure attachments (subject to culture). More recently Main and Solomon (1990) have developed a fourth organised strategy of attachment; termed disorganised/disoriented attachment behaviour. Infants in this classification display a mixture of resistant and avoidant behaviour. Mary Main suggests it is a result of fearing their primary caregiver as it is prevalent among infants of abuse or difficult family circumstances.
Waters and Deane (1985) criticise the 'strange situation', pointing out Ainsworth et al., (1971) could not classify a reasonable portion of their subjects. They propose the 'strange ...

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of rules governing interpretation and expression of emotion in the different situations they are faced with. A child reared sensitively and responsively will learn that people are dependable and trustworthy; on the other hand, insensitive, neglectful or abusive caregiving will lead to insecurity and mistrust and the child will form a negative Internal Working Model. Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991) expand on this to suggest the optimal internal working model for healthy psychological development is made up of a positive representation of themselves and the caregiver, as contrariety might cause avoidant or preoccupied behaviour.
There is much evidence to support the theory that this ...

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