British psychiatrist who developed attachment theory — the most influential account of emotional development — arguing that the attachment bond between infant and caregiver is a biological necessity with lifelong consequences.
Attachment theory: the infant has a biological need for a secure base — a reliable, responsive caregiver whose availability regulates fear. Separation and loss: disruption of attachment bonds produces predictable responses (protest, despair, detachment). The internal working model: attachment experiences become mental representations that shape subsequent relationships. Led Mary Ainsworth to develop the Strange Situation protocol.
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