The Nature of Child’s Ties
Cassidy, J. (1999). The nature of
the child’s ties. In J. Cassidy & P. R.
Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment:
Theory, research, and clinical
applications (pp. 3-20). New York:
Guilford Press.
An Evolutionary Perspective
 Proximity to parents facilitates protection
of children.
 Infants are predisposed to seek proximity
during distress.
 Attachment, therefore, contributes to
evolutionary survival.
 “Within this framework, attachment is
considered a normal and healthy
characteristic of humans throughout the
lifespan, rather than a sign of immaturity
that needs to be outgrown” (Cassidy,
1999, p. 5).
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
The Attachment Behavioral System
 Attachment behavioral system refers to a
particular repertoires of behaviors that an
individual uses.
 Attachment occurs even when physical
needs are not met or the child is abused.
 The attachment behavioral system is a
goal-corrected system which is flexible.
“[T]he flexible use of a variety of
attachment behaviors, depending on the
circumstances, affords the infant greater
efficiency in goal-corrected responses”
(Cassidy, 1999, p. 5).
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Individual Differences
 Although there is a biological basis for
attachment and all children become attached
(even to abusive parents), not all children
become securely attached.
 “Secure attachment occurs when a child has
a mental representation of the attachment
figure as available and responsive when
needed. Infants are considered insecurely
attached when they lack such a
representation” (Cassidy, 1999, p. 7).
 The Role of Context
 Activation of the attachment behavioral system
is influenced by
conditions in the child
conditions in the environment.
 “In sum, proximity seeking is activated when
the infant receives information (from both
internal and external sources) that a goal (the
desired distance from the mother) is
exceeded. It remains activated until the goal
is achieved, and then it stops” (Cassidy, 1999,
p. 6).
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Individual Differences (cont.)
 The Role of Emotion
 Intense emotions are associated with the
“formation, the maintenance, the disruption,
and the renewal of attachment relationships”
(Cassidy, 1999, p. 6).
 Emotions contribute to motivation to seek
attachment.
 The Role of Cognition
 Children learn to use specific attachment
behaviors with specific people in specific
situations.
 Children develop “internal working models”
that help them anticipate the future.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Attachment in Relation to Other
Behavioral Systems
 The Exploratory System
 The exploratory behavioral system promotes
survival because curiosity helps children learn
about and adapt to their environment.
 This system reduces attachment behavior
 The Fear System: the fear behavioral
system promotes safety and, as a result,
engages the attachment system.
 The Sociable System:
 “[T]he organization of the biologically based,
survival-promoting tendency to be sociable
with others” (Cassidy, 1999, p. 9).
 This system is ferent from the attachment
system.
 The Caregiving System
 Parent repertoire of behaviors that are
engaged to respond to attachment-seeking in
children.
 Like other systems, it is activated by internal
and external cues.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
The Attachment Bond
 Attachment bond refers to an affectional tie:
“this bond is not between two people; it is
instead a bond that one individual has to
another individual who is perceived as
stronger and wiser … A person can be
attached to a person who is not in turn
attached to him or her” (Cassidy, 1999, p.
12).
 Cassidy reported several important
propositions about attachment theory:
 The attachment bond is only one feature of a
parent-child relationship. Caregivers also
serve as playmates, teachers, and
disciplinarians.
 Children experience multiple attachments but
the quality of the attachment bond is not the
same in each relationship. The quality of the
bond is influenced by amount of interaction,
quality of care provided, and emotional
investment of the caregiver.
 The attachment bond cannot be inferred from
the presence or absence of attachment
behavior.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Multiple Attachments
 Children form more than one attachment
and strength of attachment seems to be
influenced by the extent to which the
caregiver provides sensitive care.
 The potential number of attachment
figures is not limtless.
 Although children have multiple
attachment figures, they do not treat all
attachment figures as equivalent.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson