Page 55 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 10

butions of attachment theory to the nurture of ented (Hardy, 2007). Individuals with an avoi-
conscience. dant style reject attempts of connection, feel
uncomfortable with intimate relationships, and
Attachment and the Development of Consci- tend to avoid intimacy (Alhusen et al., 2013:
ence Hardy, 2007). Those with an anxious attach-
Bowlby (1982), known as the father of Attach- ment desire and seek out intimate relationships,
ment theory, believed focusing on a child’s ear- yet fear rejection and do not trust they have the
liest relationships with their caregivers would be ability to cultivate deep relationships that will
the best indicator of their personality develop- last (Alhusen et al., 2013). The disorganized sty-
ment. These early attachments, whether secure le, which tends to be a result of abuse or malt-
or insecure, are crucial for the development of reatment, is a combination of the other two sty-
the physical, psychological, and social health of les in which the individual vacillates between
a child and become the foundation for one’s at- seeking connection and rejecting it (Hardy,
tachment style into adulthood (Alhusen, Hayat, 2007). Bowlby (1982) believed those with inse-
& Gross, 2013; Hardy, 2007). cure attachment styles tend to view the world
Exchanges that take place between child and ca- as unreliable and unpredictable, which triggers
regiver “provide a foundation for neurological either fight or flight responses. Many studies
development and lead to the creation of neural have shown that children with insecure attach-
networks (particularly in the right hemisphe- ment struggle to develop an adequate consci-
re)” that are responsible for a person’s sense of ence, show less empathy than securely attached
self, one’s ability to regulate physical reactions to children, handle negative emotion poorly, exhi-
affective stimuli, and emotion regulation (Har- bit non-empathic behaviors, and are at risk for
dy, 2007, p. 28). Lack of attachment can lead to developing antisocial behaviors (Kersterbaum,
underdeveloped neural integration, over-acti- Farber, & Sroufe, 1989; Kochanska, Forman,
vation of certain parts of the brain, enduring Aksan, & Dunbar, 2005; van Ijzendoorn, 1997).
hyperarousal, and mental illness (Corbin, 2007; Research has also consistently demonstrated a
Malhi et al., 2015). high correlation between insecure attachment
styles and symptoms such as aggression, sha-
Different styles of attachment are formed from me, low self-esteem, hyperactivity, anxiety, de-
the quality of these interactions, which fall into pression, and a variety of behavior problems
a secure or insecure attachment category (Har- (Alajgerdi, Sarabian, & Asgharipour, 2015; Al-
dy, 2007). A secure attachment style is develo- Yagon, 2008; Muris et al., 2014).
ped from having a secure base in which a child, The development of conscience, which lays the
upon separation from their caregiver, will at- foundation for moral behavior, is a crucial aspect
tempt to regain closeness (Alhusen et al., 2013; of any society as it assists in allowing the society
Hardy, 2007). Bowlby (1982) believed secure to function properly through majority accepted
attachment led to confident, secure, and ca- behaviors (Termini et al., 2009). Research has
ring adults due to their perception of the world shown that moral development begins with a
being filtered through the lens of a secure base. child’s ability to monitor and regulate their own
This concurs with a study conducted by Feld- emotions and internal states and attachment
man (2007) which found a direct association theory proposes that this is process is mediated
between mother-infant synchrony and the ca- by the internal working models formed by ear-
pacity for empathy in adolescence. ly attachments (Hardy, 2007; Lapsley & Carlo,
2014; Sherblom, 2012). Neuroscience research,
An insecure attachment forms due to lack of re- however, has suggested that adults who are in-
sponse from the caregiver in times of need and securely attached can move into “earned secure
involves fear and rejection behaviors (Alhusen attachment” styles due to the neuroplasticity of
et al., 2013; Hardy, 2007). Of insecure attach- the brain (Siegel, 2012; Steele & Steele, 2008).
ment styles, three subtypes have been identified This possibility holds hopeful implications for
as avoidant, anxious, and disorganized-disori- psychotherapy outcomes.

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