The Myth of Attachment Theory: A Critical Understanding for Multicultural Societies

Description

The Myth of Attachment Theory confronts the uncritical acceptance of attachment theory – challenging its scientific basis and questioning the relevance in our modern, superdiverse and multicultural society – and exploring the central concern of how children, and their way of forming relationships, differ from each other. In this book, Heidi Keller examines diverse multicultural societies, proposing that a single doctrine cannot best serve all children and families. Drawing on cultural, psychological and anthropological research, this challenging volume respects cultural diversity as the human condition and demonstrates how the wide heterogeneity of children’s worlds must be taken seriously to avoid painful or unethical consequences that might result from the application of attachment theory in different fields. The book explores attachment theory as a scientific construct, deals with attachment theory as the foundation of early education, specifies the dimensions that need to be considered for a culturally conscious approach and, finally, approaches ethical problems which result from the universality claim of attachment theory in different areas. This book employs multiple and mixed methods, while also going beyond critical analysis of theory to offer insight into the implications of the unquestioning acceptance of this theory in such areas as childhood interventions, diagnosis of attachment security, international intervention programs and educational settings. This volume will be a crucial read for scholars and researchers in developmental, educational and clinical psychology, as well as educators, teachers-in-training and other professionals working with children and their families. Cover Endorsements Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents Foreword To The German Edition In Defence of Difference: Foreword to the English edition References A Personal Preface 1. Introduction 1.1 Not directly accepted 1.2 A marketing issue? 1.3 The prize is high 1.4 Not the best for every child 1.5 Structure of this book Note 2. The beginnings of attachment theory 2.1 War, trauma and the consequences 2.1.1 Instinct or imprint? 2.1.2 Bowlby's personal background 2.2 A somewhat different view 2.2.1 Looking differently 2.2.2 Everything has its time 2.3 Doubts not wanted? 2.3.1 Incomprehensible results 3. The attachment theory of the 21st CENTURY 3.1 The hierarchy of the few 3.1.1 The emperor's new clothes? 3.1.2 Different conclusions 3.2 Honesty to the canon 3.2.1 Dealing with criticism Note 4. Unresolved problems 4.1 What is attachment? 4.2 What is an internal working model? 4.3 What is exploration? 4.3.1 Attachment exploration balance 4.4 Novelty, stranger anxiety or separation distress? 4.4.1 Ethical concerns 4.5 Theory or method? 4.6 Evolutionary assumptions of attachment theory 4.6.1 One or several attachment figures? 4.6.2 Experience expectant or experience dependent? 4.6.3 Well being or reproduction? 4.6.4 A gene for proximity seeking? 4.6.5 Adaptations are not necessarily universal 5. Cultural blindness of attachment theory 5.1 Not only the mother 5.2 There is no lack of information 5.3 Unintended consequences 5.4 The dyad: one communication model among others 5.5 Why cross cultural comparisons? 5.6 Core assumptions of attachment theory 5.7 Implicit assumptions of attachment theory 5.7.1 Not only perception is culture specific 5.7.2 Attachment figures must be adults 5.7.2 A child can only form a few attachment relationships 5.7.3 Social interactions are exclusive, dyadic and dialogic 5.7.4 The infant has the lead 5.7.4.1 Measuring sensitivity 5.7.5 Behavior is regulated through emotions 5.8 Different cultural realities 5.8.1 Attachment figures can be children and/or adults 5.8.1.1 The number of caregivers varies in care networks 5.8.1.2 It takes a village... 5.8.2 Variety of interactional formats: multiple, polyadic and more 5.8.3 How can a baby know what is best for him or her? 5.8.3.1 Is it necessary to be alone sometimes? 5.8.3.2 Who follows whom - who has the lead? 5.8.4 Emotional control is a sign of maturity and proper demeanor 5.8.4.1 Where strangeness is not fear evoking 5.8.5 Exploration and culture 5.8.5.1 More interest in humans - it is better when other people are involved 5.8.5.2 Observation is also exploration Notes 6. Checking facts: What is and what can attachment theory really do? 6.1 Known, but not understood 6.2 Practitioners' perspectives 7. Attachment theory and daycare 7.1 Attachment or relationship? 7.1.1 Relationship unburdens 7.2 Everyday life in an institution: attachment theory applied 7.2.1 The Berlin model 7.2.2 The Munich model 7.2.3 Experiences with parental rejection of these models 7.2.4 Questionable practice Notes 8. Reflections about culture conscious transition processes 8.1 Preparation: the 1000 languages of families 8.1.1 Multiple communication styles and cultures 8.1.1.1 More and less contextual communication cultures 8.1.1.2 Misunderstandings preprogrammed? 8.2 The institution and the teachers 8.2.1 All voices count 8.2.2 Taking conflicts seriously 8.3 The children and the children's group 8.3.1 Copying allowed? 8.3.2 Children are basically interested in other children 8.3.3 Taking children seriously 8.3.4 A promising approach 8.4 The child in transition 8.5 The place 8.5.1 The third educator 8.5.1.1 Junk gardens 8.5.2 Children in space 8.5.2.1 Decoration 8.5.2.2 The outdoors 8.5.2.3 Mobile furniture 8.5.2.4 What is place identity? 8.6 Contextual embeddedness 8.6.1 The people in the wider social context 8.7 Culture conscious transition: a multidimensional process 8.7.1 Inclusion taken seriously 8.7.2.1 A process in circles Note 9. Ethical questions 9.1 Wrong diagnoses and wrong evaluations 9.1.1 Inacceptable moral evaluations 9.2 Attachment based interventions 9.2.1 Not only wrong, but also unethical 9.2.2 The word gap assumption 9.3 Attachment based custody decisions 9.3.1 Governmental misjudges and their consequences 9.3.2 Contradictions are not perceived 9.4 The ethics of pedagogics in daycare 9.4.1 Strange Situation transition Note 10. Concluding comments 10.1 Keeping up with the times 10.2 Unpredictable consequences 10.3 Unheard voices 10.4 Listening, moving, proceeding Note Annotated bibliography References Index