Cupboard love
Cupboard love is a popular learning theory of the 1950s and 1960s based on the research of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, Melanie Klein and Mary Ainsworth. Rooted in psychoanalysis, the theory speculates that attachment develops in the early stages of infancy. This process involves the mother satisfying her infant's instinctual needs, exclusively. Cupboard love theorists conclude that during infancy, our primary drive is food which leads to a secondary drive for attachment.
Origin and evolution of cupboard love theories
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)
, founder of psychoanalysis, was the first to suggest that attachment is a result of the mother fulfilling her infant's physiological needs. Eventually, the infant begins to comprehend that the mother is the primary caregiver, becoming attached through the feeding process.Freud believed this instinctive demeanor was rooted in years of evolution, from the time of hunter gatherers. Approximately four million years ago, humans were governed by instinctive behaviors, where they learned how to live in difficult conditions. Similarly, Freud hypothesized that the infant is also guided by an instinctive nature, forming a bond with the person who will ensure their survival.
René Spitz (1887–1974)
proposed a phase called "eight-month anxiety" when an infant develops anxiety when left alone with strangers, and the mother is absent. The author is also known for describing the consequences of mother deprivation in the development of babies, resulting in the syndromes of Hospitalism and Anaclitic Depression, depending on the time the child is left without the mother and the age they are on when the mother leaves.Therese Benedek (1892–1977)
studied symbiosis between the mother and infant. She suggested that the phase of extra-uterine symbiosis produces reciprocal interactions between the mother and infant. When the mother satisfies the needs of the infant, the infant is not only grateful having been satisfied, but it is also grateful to the mother for providing protection and a sense of security. These interactions build a sense of trust and preserve the security of symbiosis.Heinz Hartman (1894–1970)
focused on the connection between ego functions and object relations. He acknowledged the importance of communication and understanding between the child and the mother. His research concluded, that during a later phase of infancy, the child begins to comprehend the difference between the love or loss of love from the mother and an object.Anna Freud (1895–1982)
's youngest daughter, Anna Freud expanded on her father's idea of the instinct theory, associating the origin of object relations with gratification. Her research deduced that an infant is naturally self-centered, only communicating with the mother to satisfy its needs and produce a pleasurable state of being. She concluded that in the early stages of infancy, the child does not love their mother, but rather the experience of being fed.In 1965, she defined true object relations as the later stage in development where "the baby perceives his/her mother as a person separate from himself." Regardless of the infant's needs, the mother is not forgotten and is missed when absent.
Melanie Klein (1882–1960)
Melanie Klein's emphasizes that the mother's breast is the infant's perceived object of maximum gratification. Klein claims that the infant's concept of gratification is just as strongly related to the object which provides gratification, as to the food itself.Margaret Mahler (1897–1985)
modified Benedek's concept of symbiosis. Mahler described a parasite-host relationship between the fetus and mother during the prenatal period. During the postnatal period, the baby enters a phase called the "symbiotic envelope" where their primary task is to separate from the mother, instead of forming a relationship of attachment.Dr. Sibylle Escalona (1915–1996)
placed less emphasis on need-gratification than previous literature. Instead, she suggested that mother-infant interactions, such as smiling, babbling and playing, do not fulfill the infant's physiological needs, as the baby's self and non-self awareness is not fully developed.Developing the theory of attachment
John Bowlby (1907–1990)
Psychoanalyst John Bowlby argued that the cupboard love theory overemphasized the positive aspects of the infant-mother relationship. His research aimed to expand on initial studies and perspectives on attachment to include the nature and emotional dynamic of the child's tie to his mother.Bowlby described attachment as being a reciprocal relationship, where both the parents and the child become attached to each other. He also favored the ethological view of attachment, rooted in instinct. The foundation of his research inferred that our ability to form attachment is based on a genetic blueprint, allowing the mother to interact and communicate with her infant.
In addition, Bowlby also strongly debated the idea of monotropy; the scenario where the infant will only form attachment with one person. This concept was proven false by studies in psychoanalytic literature.
Mary Ainsworth (1913–1999)
Mary Ainsworth supported the cupboard love theory early in her career, but was later swayed otherwise by Bowlby and his studies focused on ethology. She reasoned against, claiming that the cupboard love theory supported the rationale that attachment is only a one-way relationship. It did not factor in the significance of the mother's acceptance towards her child in developing attachment. Sigmund Freud's research also highlighted the significance of an emotional bond between the infant and caregiver in developing a child's superego.Prior to their meeting, Ainsworth was inspired by Bowlby to travel to Uganda to study infant-mother interaction. Based on her findings in Uganda, she later conducted a longitudinal study in Baltimore. Here, she studied infant behavior, making observations based on infants responses during the Strange Situation task. Her results led to the identification of four key dimensions of maternal care: sensitivity - insensitivity, cooperation - interference, acceptance - rejection, and accessibility - ignoring/neglecting.
Later in her career, Ainsworth collaborated with John Bowlby to further develop the Theory of Attachment. Her experimental research provided empirical evidence, validating Bowlby's hypothesis on the infant attachment process with their primary caregivers.
Theory of attachment
Bowlby describes attachment as the "affectionate ties we feel for the special people in our lives." The child begins the process of attachment in early infancy, eventually relying on the caregiver for feelings of comfort and safety. In time, the child may become distressed when the caregiver is absent, wanting to remain in their proximity.Developing attachment in infancy
Attachment is the result of social interaction between an infant and caregiver over a gradual period of time.Phases of attachments
Infants develop attachment through a series of phases that range from ages 0 to 9 months. A secure attachment promotes the exploration of the close surrounding environment.1. Asocial Phase
The asocial phase occurs during the first 0–6 weeks of infancy. Infants respond equally to both social and nonsocial stimuli, but show preference for a smiling face.2. Phase of indiscriminate attachment
The phase of indiscriminate attachment occurs between six weeks and six to seven months. During this phase, the infant begins to favor social interaction, especially from primary caregivers.3. Specific attachment phase
The specific attachment phase occurs between seven and nine months. During this period, the infant becomes increasingly attached to the mother, and becomes distressed and cautious around strangers.4. Phase of multiple attachments
At 18 months, infants develop multiple attachments towards other family members and relatives.Types of attachment
It is possible to characterize the attachment between the infant and the caregiver using the Strange Situation procedure. Following the experiment, the infant's quality of attachment is characterized in one of four ways.1. Secure Attachment
This is the most common categorization, occurring in 60–65% of American infants. The infant feels safe to explore and interact with strangers while the mother is nearby, preferring her company when distressed.2. Resistant attachment
This category makes up 10% of infants. They are insecure, remaining close to their mother. They explore very little, are cautious of strangers, and become stressed when the mother is absent. When the mother returns, the infant will remain near her but will avoid physical contact.3. Avoidant attachment
20% of infants in American are considered to have avoidant attachment. They remain neutral when the mother is absent, often ignoring both the mother and strangers.4. Disorganized
The infants categorized as disorganized/disorientated are the most insecure and make up 5–15% of American infants. They exhibit both avoidant and resistant attachment behavior. This infant will become fearful when the mother is absent, and avoid her when reunited.Synchronized routines play a significant role in the development of , predictors for quality attachment. During the first few months of infancy it is important for the caregiver to react using appropriate facial gestures, to the infant's behavior. An infant may experience distress if the mother chooses to communicate with her child using a "still-face." Therefore, unpredictable responses from the mother towards the infant can have the power to affect the quality and the speed at which attachment develops.