Bowlby's Attachment Theory Essay

Words: 551
Pages: 3

Jean Piaget was one of the most important psychologists and researchers in history.; He spent most of his life investigating the way our knowledge of the environment and our thought patterns evolve depending on the stage of growth. He is especially known for presenting the stages of cognitive development that all humans experience in the growth process. On the other hand, Bowlby posited the theory of attachment in which he explains that children who form an attachment to an adult that is an enduring socio-emotional relationship are more likely to survive. “This person is usually the mother but need not be; the key is a strong emotional relationship with a responsive, caring person. Attachments can form with father's, grandfather or someone else”.
During the stage of infancy (birth to 2 years old) Both authors, go through the process of acquisition of the symbolic capacity, and examine the following: the differentiation between subject and object; the understanding of object permanence and the subsequent representational skill, which is deeply related to the idea that an object exists independently of the child; and the potential of symbolic thinking on allowing behavior regulation on the basis of the represented goal and on understanding that other people may have goals differing from one’s own. Concerning the differentiation between subject
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Piaget suggested that cognitive development occurs following a series of stages of maturation and experience: sensory-motor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal