Attachment

These questions draw from Goldberg’s Chapters 6 & 7 and Rolfe’s Chapter 12.
According to Bowlby’s and Ainsworth’s theoretical and empirical [research] work, infants come into the world predisposed to attach primarily to one person only, usually the mother, or major caregiver; all other attachments are secondary. This, as you know, has been questioned by research, (i.e., Michael Lamb), and by cultural groups in which the responsibility for child care is shared by more than one caregiver.
What do you think about this issue? Do infants have only one primary attachment relationship? Do they then form a “hierarchy of attachment” with other secondary attachment figures? Or, can an infant have two or more primary attachment figures?
Make sure your comments are not “opinions” but informed opinions. In other words, use information from the readings or other reliable sources to support your statements. (150 word response)

Then, Respond to two posts:
1)Attachment can take on many forms, but the quality of attachment is a joint relationship between the child and the caregiver. “Attachment theory thus recognizes that the child also contributes to the quality of the developing relationships” (Rolfe, 2020. p.102). According to Rolfe there must be a harmonious relationship between the two parties: explorative behavior from the child, and responsibility, interest, feelings, and desires from the caregiver (Rolfe, p. 92). Infant attachment is not present at birth but emerges over time (Rolfe. p.92). I do not believe that infants only have one primary attachment relationship. I believe that it is possible for more than one primary attachment to be developed depending on the circumstance and the availability and care given to the child. It is possible for a primary attachment to be formed between a child and their father as the onus does not only fall on the mother to care for and respond to the needs of the child. “Both partners have an active role in these sorts of exchanges” (Rolfe, p. 100). Our text indicated that there are four phases of attachment development which occur from birth to the age of three. Therefore, it is my belief that during this time a child may be introduced to many individuals who play the role of caregiver thus the opportunity is provided for more than one primary attachment bond to be formed. “Who becomes a primary attachment figure for a child depends on who assumes the role of primary caregiver” (Rolfe, p. 117).
Infants are not always surrounded by family, often they are sent to daycare or school where they are exposed to teachers, and other child-care providers. It is very possible that one of these individuals can provide a secure environment for the child who will then attach to this new individual. Rolfe describes an attachment figure as one who (a) provides physical and emotional care, (b) is continually or consistently in a child’s life and (c) is emotionally invested in the child (Rolfe, 2020 p.118). This in my belief proves that more than one primary attachment relationship can be formed. To further reiterate this point, Rolfe states that “children construct their attachment relationships on the basis of repeated interactions with caregiving adults” (Rolfe, 2020 p. 118).
I do believe that a hierarchy of attachment is formed because a child will signal for the attention he or she requires and show preference to the caregiver who responds accordingly. This is referred to as ‘discriminative’ behavior as the child is developing a preference for a particular individual. Rolfe further states that in the second stage of attachment formation “physical proximity is sought selectively, and comfort is readily achieved by contact with one or a small number of preferred attachment figures” (Rolfe, 2020, p. 94). As I read through our text a question that came to mind was, can an attachment be formed without trust? I think that this is a possibility as in the beginning a child only wants their needs met and does not have the cognitive abilities to differentiate between who can be trusted and who cannot.
Reference
Rolfe, S. A. (2004). Rethinking Attachment for early childhood practice: Promoting security, autonomy and resilience in young children. Crows nest: Allen & Unwin
2)Infant and child attachments are difficult to study. Most of the information we have is based on observation. There has been a lot of interest in this subject, however, and a variety of data. According to Howes, an attachment figure is someone who provides physical and emotional care, with continuity and consistency, and has an emotional investment in the child (Rolfe, 2004). Ainsworth noted in Uganda that babies focused most of their attachment behavior on one particular person when they were tired, hungry, or fearful (Rolfe, 2004 p.107). If the mother is the primary caregiver, she would be the primary attachment. However, many mothers have other responsibilities or situations which interrupt their ability to be the primary caregiver, in which case the attachment would change. The child may securely attach to someone else or become insecurely attached. I believe that there are a hierarchy of relationships, and that the secondary attachment can be just as strong as the primary attachment. Kotelchuck found, after he completed a study and looked at mother and father attachments and found similar data for each (Goldberg, 2000). I agree with Kotelchuck, that attachments can be developed with more than one primary caregiver.
References
Goldberg, S. (2000). Attachment and Development. Taylor and Francis.
Rolfe, S. A. (2004). Rethinking Attachment for Early Childhood Practice. Routledge.

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