lacanian attachment analysts

primary erotic attachment attachment gallery A feature of attachment behaviour of the greatest importance clinically, and irrespective of the age of the individual concerned, is the intensity of the emotion that accompanies it, the kind of emotion aroused depending on how the relationship between the individual attached and the attachment figure is faring. If it goes well, there is joy and a sense of security. If it is threatened, there is jealousy, anxiety and anger. If broken, there is grief and depression. Finally there is strong evidence that how attachment behaviour comes to be organised within an individual turns in high degree on the kinds of experience he has in his family of origin, or if he is unlucky, out of it. .John Bowlby Attachment theory has developed from the joint work of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. Bowlby formulated attachment as a basic instinct or drive whereby one person needs to be close to, i.e. ,attached to another. He encountered the same phenomena amongst mammals and other creatures. The most basic example is Mom and baby. Mary Ainsworth extended Bowlby's work with a unique method called the "Strange Situation" Test. A one year old baby is playing with Mom in a research setting with cameras and recorders and a one way mirror. Also present is a researcher. At a given signal Mom leaves the room. Babies reaction is noted. Four patterns of attachment behaviour have been found universally in cultures around the world. The first is Secure Attachment where although baby cries when Mom leaves baby soon recovers when she returns. Also there were three other patterns discovered. Anxious Avoidant is where when Mom returns baby ignores her and sometimes plays with the researcher. Anxious Ambivalent is where Baby rushes towards and then away from Mom. The last one discovered in later years is Anxious Chaotic. Baby wonders around in a daze, goes up or leaves the Researcher, cries inconsolably. Mom is inconsistent and erratic in relating to baby. What is important from a Lacanian Attachment Analytic viewpoint is the later research with children, teenagers, and adults. This is that when the speech and discourse is examined minutely the same patterns can be predicted and they correlate with the one year old tests. It is one of the few forms of research based upon speech and discourse. Unfortunately Lacanians and Attachment theorists do not usually talk to each other. The Lacanians would call classic attachment "Anglo-Saxon Psychoanalysis" and Attachment Analysts often dismiss the "mystifying"," unintelligible" habits of continental origin. We hope to promote dialogue across this divide.