Final answer:
Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby, posits that caregivers become 'love objects' and are crucial for forming the basis of all later attachments. This bonding provides security and comfort, essential for proper emotional and social development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theoretical view that contends caregivers become "love objects" and form the basis for all later attachments is known as attachment theory, primarily developed by John Bowlby. Bowlby's concept defines attachment as an affectionate bond that an infant forges with the mother or a primary caregiver, which is vital for the child's normal social and emotional development. Through their research, Bowlby and other researchers like Harry Harlow and Mary Ainsworth observed that attachments are crucial for providing a sense of security and comfort, and that the quality of these attachments could affect later relationships and even the connection to religious deities or inanimate objects.
Bowlby's work is complemented by Ainsworth's Strange Situation procedure, which categorizes attachments as secure, avoidant, resistant, or disorganized. Secure attachment reflects a healthy bond, where the caregiver provides a responsive and nurturing environment, allowing the child to use them as a secure base for exploration and as a comfort in times of stress.