Secure Attachment
Definition
This is a type of emotional bond in which a child feels safe, protected, and comfortable with a caregiver. The child uses the caregiver as a secure base from which to explore their environment.
Analogy
Think of secure attachment like your favorite cozy blanket. It's always there when you need it, providing comfort and security. You feel safe to venture out into the cold because you know that warm blanket will be waiting for you when you return.
Related terms
Attachment Theory: This is the psychological model describing the long-term interpersonal relationships between humans.
Primary Caregiver: This term refers to the person who takes primary responsibility for someone who cannot fully care for themselves. In this context, it usually refers to the main person (often a parent) that a child forms an attachment with.
Separation Anxiety: This is distress or anxiety experienced by an individual when separated from their primary caregiver or another individual with whom they have formed an attachment.
"Secure Attachment" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (6)
- Accord to Ainsworth, a child with a secure attachment will ____ when mom returns after having left the room.
- Which theory addresses the impact of secure attachment on a child's exploration behavior?
- Which developmental theory involves the concept of secure attachment as an important aspect of early childhood?
- What intervention could be proposed for a child who has not yet developed secure attachment according to Bowlby's attachment theory?
- What is a primary characteristic of secure attachment in children during social development?
- What is the impact of secure attachment on a child's social development according to attachment theory?
Resources
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