In psychology, the term affectional bond is a type of attachment behavior one individual has for another individual, typically a mother for her child, in which the two partners tend to remain in proximity to one another. The term was coined and subsequently developed over the course of four decades, from the early 1940s to the late 1970s, by psychologist John Bowlby in his work on attachment theory. The core of the term ‘affectional bond’, according to Bowlby, is the attraction one individual has for another individual. The central features of the concept of affectional bonding can be traced to Bowlby’s 1958 paper: “the Nature of the Child’s Tie to his Mother.” Psychology (Gk: psyche, soul or mind + logos, speech) is an academic and applied field involving the study of the mind, brain, and behavior, both human and nonhuman. ... John Bowlby (1907 - 1990) was a British developmental psychologist in the psychoanalytic tradition, notable for his pioneering work in attachment theory. ... Attachment theory is a theory (or group of theories) about the psychological concept of attachment: the tendency to seek closeness to another person and feel secure when that person is present. ...

Five criteria

Bowlby referred to attachment bonds as a specific type of a larger class of bonds that he and developmental psychologist Mary Ainsworth described as "affectional" bonds. Ainsworth (1989) established five criteria for affectional bonds between individuals, and a sixth criteria for attachment bonds: Ainsworth Mary Ainsworth (December 1913 - 1999) was an American developmental psychologist known for her work in early emotional attachment with The Strange Situation. ...

1. An affectional bond is persistent, not transitory.
2. An affectional bond involves a particular person who is not interchangeable with anyone else.
3. An affectional bond involves a relationship that is emotionally significant.
4. The individual wishes to maintain proximity or contact with the person with whom he or she has an affectional tie.
5. The individual feels sadness or distress at involuntary separation from the person.

A true attachment bond, however, has an additional criteria: the person seeks security and comfort in the relationship.

See also

• Attachment theory
• Attachment disorder
• Human bonding
• Animal love
• Pair bonding

Attachment theory is a theory (or group of theories) about the psychological concept of attachment: the tendency to seek closeness to another person and feel secure when that person is present. ... // Introduction Attachment disorder is based on the psychological theories that 1) normal mother-child attachment forms in the first two years of life and 2) if a normal attachment is not formed during the first two to three years, attachment can be induced later. ... The term human bond, or more generally human bonding, refers to the process or formation of a close personal relationship, as between a mother and child, especially through frequent or constant association. ... Animals seem to return the affection shown to them by their humans. ... In biology, a pair bond is the strong affinity that develops in some species between the male and female in a breeding pair. ...

References

External links

• Universality of Human Social Attachment as an Adaptive Process
• Attachment Security in Infancy and its Consequences for Development of the Individual
• Understanding Attachment