Attachment Theory The bond between a child and caregiver is based on the child's need for safety, security, and protection, which is paramount in infancy and childhood (Bretherton, 1992). The ability to form emotional bonds early in infant development is a fundamental component of emotional development and a predictor of later interpersonal functioning (Hutchinson, 2013). John Bowlby, who began his study of attachment by observing animals, proposed that children instinctively attach to caregivers. From an evolutionary perspective, those who are able to remain close and attached to their caregivers were more likely to survive to reproductive stages and develop healthy attachments into adulthood (Fraley, 2004; Hutchinson, 2013 ). He concluded that the infant initiates the bonding sequence, but it is the mother's behaviors that strengthen their bond (Hutchinson, 2013). Mary Ainsworth was Bowlby's most famous collaborator in explaining human attachment and conducted experiments demonstrating that emotional bonds between infants and caregivers are persistent, not transient (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). Due to his upbringing in an upper-middle-class family in London, which included a nanny, an absent mother, and boarding school at the age of seven, as well as the time he spent working as a volunteer at a school for maladjusted children, John Bowlby developed attachment theory (Bretherton, 1992). Her conclusion, based on her research and the available empirical evidence, was that for an infant and young child to grow up mentally healthy, they should have a warm, intimate, ongoing relationship with their mother or permanent caregiver. If this could be accomplished, both the child and the caregiver would experience satisfaction and pleasure (Bowlby, 1951)....... middle of paper ...... Sixty percent of children develop an attachment secure, which is demonstrated through their ability to explore their environment in positive ways and use skills learned during attachment development to have positive interactions with peers, develop close friendships as they age and live life in a mentally healthy way. Although Richard does not remember his early childhood, he has demonstrated that he and his mother were able to formulate a secure attachment, as evidenced by his ability to manage relationships in healthy ways and achieve professional success throughout his life...