Final answer:
Attachment theory features four primary styles: secure, preoccupied (anxious-ambivalent), dismissive (avoidant), and fearful (disorganized). Secure attachment results from responsive caregiving, while preoccupied attachment comes from inconsistent responsiveness. Dismissive attachment is seen with emotionally distant caregiving, and fearful attachment occurs when the caregiver's behavior is unpredictable or frightening.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Attachment Styles
The concept of attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth and includes various styles that define the relationships between a caregiver and a child. The four main attachment styles are secure, preoccupied (also referred to as 'anxious-ambivalent'), dismissive (also referred to as 'avoidant'), and fearful (also known as 'disorganized').
- Secure Attachment
Children with secure attachment use their caregivers as a secure base from which to explore their environment. These children display distress upon separation but are happy upon the caregiver's return. Such secure attachment develops when caregivers are consistently responsive to their children's needs.
- Preoccupied (Anxious-Ambivalent) Attachment
In preoccupied attachment (anxious-ambivalent), children are overly dependent on their caregivers and struggle with insecurity. They may become extremely upset during separation and may not be easily comforted even when the caregiver returns, showing a mixture of clinginess and resistance.
- Dismissive (Avoidant) Attachment
Children who exhibit dismissive attachment often do not seek their caregivers for comfort and may not show preference between a caregiver and a stranger. This style may develop from caregivers who are emotionally distant or unresponsive to the child's needs.
- Fearful (Disorganized) Attachment
The fearful attachment style, characterized by disorientation and a lack of clear attachment behavior, may occur in children who experience frightening or unpredictable behavior from their caregivers. These children exhibit behaviors indicative of being stuck between approaching and avoiding the caregiver, reflecting an incoherent strategy for dealing with stress.