Attachment Theory and Primary vs. Secondary Groups
Attachment Theory
Attachment theory explains how a child forms an emotional bond with a significant figure, typically the mother or father, or sometimes both. This attachment can be secure or anxious. Anxious attachment is considered pathological, indicating that some children struggle to understand social cues.
A child with a secure attachment feels safe to explore their environment, knowing they can return to their caregiver for comfort. John Bowlby introduced the concept of a “secure base,” where the child feels safe to venture out and explore, knowing they have a safe haven to return to. When the child returns to the attachment figure, they receive support and reassurance, allowing them to develop healthily.
Attachment continues into adulthood. Early attachment experiences can influence how individuals form relationships later in life. For example, difficulties in early attachment can lead to challenges in forming appropriate partnerships as adults.
During the initial stages of life, the infant-mother bond is crucial. The infant learns the mother’s rhythms through breastfeeding. Remarkably, the mother often instinctively knows when the baby needs to eat because her body synchronizes with the child’s needs. The act of suckling establishes a rhythm between the baby and the mother. If this synchronization is disrupted, it can lead to issues in the child’s development.
Bowlby suggested that a mother who struggles to connect with her baby can inadvertently communicate her own anxieties to the child. The ability to properly understand and respond to the baby’s needs helps prevent the development of destructive fantasies. Symbiosis, or close interdependence, is essential for the child’s development. By around two to three years old, the child’s psychic structure begins to form.
A two-year-old with a secure attachment can make short explorations into their immediate environment and return to their secure base, which provides encouragement and support. When this secure base is absent, the child may experience persistent anxiety and fear due to a lack of emotional resources. The first social bond, formed through attachment, provides the child with the tools to navigate their environment.
A mother who is overly focused on her child can cause uncertainty. Similarly, a mother who is overly demanding, or “hyperexigent,” may prevent the child from exploring without fear.
Primary and Secondary Groups
The distinction between primary and secondary groups lies in the type of bond formed.
Primary Group
The family is the most important primary group. It consists of a small number of individuals with strong, close bonds based on affinity and sympathy. The nuclear family includes those living in the same household, where face-to-face interactions create bonds based on affection. The family’s role is to provide the necessary tools for the individual’s socialization, fulfilling obligations such as protection, food, and care.
The extended family includes relatives like grandparents and uncles, who also form a primary group. An intimate group of friends is another type of primary group, characterized by a small number of individuals and close communication, offering support and understanding.
Secondary Group
Secondary groups have a highly structured set of roles, a larger number of members, and explicit goals. Communication within these groups is typically weaker than in primary groups.
- Role: The function performed by a member of a group according to what is expected of them in that circumstance.
- Status: The position of a member within a group based on the role they play.
- Group: A collection of individuals who interact with each other, are aware of each other’s existence, and share a common element of importance.