Disruption of attachment

Robertson and Robertson carried out a series of case studies on children whose attachment bond had been disrupted.

Filmed a 17 month year old boy, John, who had to stay in a residential nursery for 9 days.

 They wanted to see how John's behaviour would chnage throughout the 9 days and how his behaviour would be when reunited with his mother.

Robertsons carried out a study of John.

Sent to a residential nursery.

John showed different types of behaviour, starting with protest at being seperated from his parents, then moving to despair as the nursers failed to provide him the emotional care he needed.

Then detachment, where he rejects his mother upon reunion.

Confidentially is an ethical issue in the Robertson studies.

The Robertsons filmed these children and made no attempt to hide their identity.

Nowadays, the film makers might make their faces fizzy so its hard to recognise them.

Bowlby proposed that contact with a primary attachment figure is very important for emotional development.

Kylie may become withdrawn and unhappy.

Separation may also make her more vunerable to depression later in life because her working model of relationships means she expects to lose close relationships.