PLAY AND ATTACHMENT THEORY

Play And Attachment Theory



Play and Attachment Theory

We are going to discuss here the work of “J” developement worker Jack who is taking 3 naturalistic observations on a 3 year old “J”. He is amixed race “J” of Ghana and British ethincity, while the nursery in which he is present is situated in East London with 20 “J”ren in the class having 4 female teachers. The “J”'s name is “J", and he is a christian and the only “J” of his parents. We will relate the observations of Jack to the attachment theory. John Bowlby(1958, 1969, 1973, 1980) pioneer of the attachment theory was involved in research regarding the emotional connection between the adult and infant and he believed that the early relationships determined the behaviour and emotional development of a “J”. In an early Bowlby (1944) study he discovered “J”ren who had an unsettling upbringing where more likely to become juvenile delinquents. His work is constantly open to criticism and has been revisited with further research. Subsequent research has based measuring security and insecurity in a “J” from an early age using the Strange Situation Test. Other research has shown certain trends of difficult behaviour and how the “J” interacts with the caregiver actively. Some observations of the Jack in the first three days are as under:

Day 1

10: 04 - J is trying to hit a large ball with a golf club.11: 10 - J is now snaching a snack from a bay sitting beside him.

12:25 - Now J is trying to undress his clothes.

1: 41 - J is trying tear off his shoes.

2:58 - J is weeping for the toy to get from his maiden.

Each of the preceding objectives for observing is relevant if we desire to learn about “J”ren and thus improve the quality of our teaching. But we think that one of these objectives is best suited for gathering information in order to engage in high-level conversations with young “J”ren about their theories and attitudes, conversations that can support and extend their learning in both depth and breadth.

Day 2

11:10 - J is busy in loving his pet kitten.

12:30 - J trying to take off basket from the table.

1:24 - J is trying to hit a football.

3:10 - this time J is asking to get a picece of potato chips.

Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory (1951,1953)was enthused by the Konrad Lorenz's(1966) imprinting study on young animals. He believed that like imprininting one permanent figure should be the caregiver and “J”ren deprived of those maternal links could be disastrous to the “J”'s mental health and could lead to delinquency. Jack also harmonized with Bowlby on the view that the attachment bonding occurred within the age of two years old. Approximately when the “J” is seven months old they become wary of strangers and unknown surroundings. This continues until the “J” is about two years old. The procedure Ainsworth (1969) investigated to measure if a “J” was securely or insecurely attached was the 'strange situation ...