The word “attachment” has become a very popular concept today and has begun to be used in many areas. The concept of attachment can be defined as a strong emotional bond between the baby and the caregiver, providing the baby with a sense of emotional security. In other words, Bowlby defined attachment as an emotional closeness between the baby and the caregiver. He emphasized that attachment and this attachment behavior characterize the person from cradle to grave. Hazan and Shaver’s studies have also shown that behavioral patterns observed in childhood can also be observed in romantic relationships with similar dynamics.
Ainsworth, Breher, Waters and Wall’s “Foreign Environment” experiment made studies on classification of attachment. In the experiment, 12-18 month old babies are first separated from their mothers at short and systematic intervals, then a stranger enters the room and they are left alone. Finally, the mother enters the room again and is brought together with the child, while the child’s behavior is observed. In early childhood, children are classified into different attachment styles based on their emotional reactions to separation and reunion situations and are accordingly divided into three basic categories: secure, anxious, and avoidant. Children classified as secure willingly explore the environment when they are with their mothers, and show little anxiety reaction when their mothers are not present. When the mother returns to the environment, they return to close contact with the mother and investigate the environment. Second, children classified as anxious do not investigate the environment very much. They become very anxious in their mother’s absence and do not calm down easily upon their mother’s return. In addition to their desire for closeness and contact with their mothers, they show dual reactions such as anger and resistance. Finally, these babies with an avoidant attachment style are less affected by separation from their mothers and become restless when they enter an unfamiliar and unfamiliar environment, but activities such as playing with toys can replace their mothers to relieve their discomfort. That’s why mothers appear uninterested by moving away from them and avoiding getting close to their mother when she returns.