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Relationships, attachment, and culture: A tribute to John Bowlby
Author(s) -
Hinde Robert A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0355(199123)12:3<154::aid-imhj2280120303>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - tribute , psychology , humanities , attachment theory , sociology , social psychology , developmental psychology , philosophy , geography , archaeology
As a tribute to John Bowlby, some of the work that he stimulated and facilitated is reviewed. In rhesus monkeys, the behavior of individuals is much influenced by social companions. Dyadic relationships and group structure are crucial. A few days' separation between mother and infant can produce long‐term effects, but the outcome depends on a large number of factors. The need to maintain a proper balance between a research focus on the individual, the relationship, and the family or group is stressed. John Bowlby's use of comparative data is discussed. This perspective shed light on many aspects of infant and child behavior and was crucial in the development of attachment theory. The dangers of equating what is “natural” with what is “best” are stressed: Cultural desiderata interact with the biological desiderata on which natural selection operated in our environment of evolutionary adaptedness.