4 Stages Of Attachment Theory

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Attachment theory describes the dynamics of long-term social relationships between humans. Attachment in infants is primarily a process of proximity-seeking to the person when they are in situations of perceived distress or alarm for the purpose of survival. In other words, infants develop attachment to their caregivers/parents which whom they are dependent and this is done as a means of survival. Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby and were two prominent researchers who advanced the theory of attachment as related to human development. Bowlby who came up with the theory conceived of four stages of attachment that begin during infancy: pre attachment, attachment-in-the-making, clear-cut attachment, and formation of reciprocal relationships. Ainsworth