Attachment Theory: A Behavioral Systems Approach for Studying Species-Universal and Individual-Differences Aspects of the Social Mind

2021 ◽  
pp. 260-282
Author(s):  
Mario Mikulincer ◽  
Phillip R. Shaver
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Mind

Security and the social mind: attachment and therapeutic communities

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwen Adshead
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Insecure Attachment ◽  
Therapeutic Communities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Mind ◽  
Basic Features ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Attachment Process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the basic features of attachment theory, and explore how they relate to the development of the “social mind” and the work of therapeutic communities (TC). Design/methodology/approach – The author describes the essentials of attachment theory in humans; and the development of both secure and insecure states of mind. The author will set out how insecure attachment systems are associated with deficits in mentalising processes which are fundamental to the activity of the social mind. Findings – The author suggests how attachment to a TC can promote mentalising processes. The author draws on the work of other speakers in the conclusions about how to “grow” secure minds and societies. Research limitations/implications – This paper is a brief over view only and does not address attachment process to TC in any depth. Practical implications – Attachment theory could help both service users and therapists who work in TCs understand some of the difficulties people have in engaging at the start. Attachment theory also gives a guide to what a “good enough” experience in a TC might look like. Originality/value – There is little existing discussion of the application of attachment theory to TCs.

Adult Attachment and Compassion

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Mikulincer ◽  
Phillip R. Shaver
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Safe Haven ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
Caregiving System ◽  
Behavioral System ◽  
Optimal Functioning ◽  
Sense Of Security

According to attachment theory (Bowlby, 1973, 1982), the optimal functioning of the attachment behavioral system and the resulting sense of security in dealing with life’s challenges and difficulties facilitate the functioning of other behavioral systems, including the caregiving system that governs the activation of prosocial behavior and compassionate acts of helping needy others. In this chapter, we focus on what we have learned about the interplay of the attachment and caregiving systems and their effects on compassion and altruism. We begin by explaining the behavioral system construct in more detail and show how individual differences in a person’s attachment system affect the functioning of the caregiving system. We review examples from the literature on attachment, focusing on what attachment theorists call providing a “safe haven” for needy others. We then review studies that have shown how individual differences in attachment affect empathy, compassion, and support provision.

Attachment Theory Expanded

2018 ◽  
pp. 538-566
Author(s):  
Mario Mikulincer ◽  
Phillip R. Shaver
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
The Impact

This chapter moves from the original form of attachment theory and research to a more comprehensive behavioral systems theory of personality, motivation, and social behavior that considers both individual differences and the impact on mental processes and behavior of relationship partners and other aspects of social situations. The chapter begins by explaining the behavioral systems construct, including its species-universal and individual-differences aspects, which interact with social situations to shape social behavior. The behavioral systems studied to date are discussed: attachment, exploration, caregiving, sex, and power. More emphasis is placed on the attachment system than on the other behavioral systems because it has received more research attention, but new research related to the other behavioral systems is summarized. Avenues are suggested for further theorizing and research that will lead to a more complete behavioral systems theory of personality and social behavior.

Introduction to Attachment Theory: Behavioural System and Individual Differences

2019 ◽  
pp. 23-42
Author(s):  
Chia-Huei Wu
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Internal Working Models ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
Working Models ◽  
Internal Working ◽  
Behavioral System ◽  
And Behaviors

The aim of this chapter is to introduce attachment theory to provide a knowledge background for applying the theory to understand employee proactivity. This chapter firstly introduces the concept of behavioral system in attachment theory and then specifically elaborates the development and operation of an attachment behavioral system, the central behavioral system that can shape operation of other behavioral systems. Finally, the chapter elaborates how the development of the attachment behavioral system shapes individuals’ internal working models of self, others, and the broader social environment which continuously guide an individual’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in later life.

Attachment Theory Expanded

2012 ◽  
pp. 466-492
Author(s):  
Mario Mikulincer ◽  
Phillip R. Shaver
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Behavioral Systems ◽  
The Impact

In this chapter we move from the original form of attachment theory and research to a more comprehensive behavioral systems theory of personality, motivation, and social behavior that considers both individual differences and the impact of relationship partners and other aspects of social situations. We begin by explaining the behavioral systems construct, including its species-universal and individual-differences aspects, which interact with social situations to shape social behavior. We discuss the behavioral systems studied to date: attachment, exploration, caregiving, sex, and power. We place more emphasis on the attachment system than on the other behavioral systems because it has received more research attention, but we also summarize new research related to the other behavioral systems. We suggest avenues for further theorizing and research that will lead to a more complete behavioral systems theory of personality and social behavior.

Individual differences, social attention, and the history of the social motivation hypotheses of autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Mundy
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Early Development ◽  
Emotional Development ◽  
Social Motivation ◽  
Social Attention ◽  
Social Emotional Development ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Precise Understanding ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of

Abstract The stereotype of people with autism as unresponsive or uninterested in other people was prominent in the 1980s. However, this view of autism has steadily given way to recognition of important individual differences in the social-emotional development of affected people and a more precise understanding of the possible role social motivation has in their early development.

Cases of social innovations implemented in the public health sector

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 1600-1621
Author(s):  
E.V. Molchanova
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Demographic Challenges ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Innovations ◽  
Demographic Processes ◽  
Disease Study ◽  
Disability Adjusted Life Year

Subject. The article discusses medical and demographic processes in Russia and Finland. Objectives. I evaluate cases of social innovations implemented for the preservation and strengthening of public health in Finland under the auspices of The Global Burden of Disease Study. Methods. Methodologically, the study relies upon the ideology of the GDB Project, which rests on the DALY (the Disability Adjusted Life Year). Results. I analyzed the morbidity and mortality rates, DALY in Russia and Finland, determined what mainly triggers the risk (environmental, behavioral, metabolic) fueling some public health degradation. The article provides the insight into the efficiency of some social innovations implemented in Finland and suggests what should be done to outline medical and demographic programs in Russia. Conclusions and Relevance. The medical and demographic situation in Russia requires new tools to find innovative solutions for the social policy and, inter alia, the use of the GBD technique, which proved to be effective. Referring to evidence from Finland, demographic challenges in Russian can be handled through a systems approach, i.e. socio-economic actions, improvement of the healthcare and social security, wellness propaganda.

Reality Negotiation

2009 ◽  
pp. 474-482
Author(s):  
Raymond L. Higgins ◽  
Matthew W. Gallagher
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Negotiation Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
Coping Processes

This chapter presents an overview of the development and status of the reality negotiation construct and relates it to a variety of coping processes. The reality negotiation construct follows from the social constructionist tradition and first appeared in discussions of how excuses protect self-images by decreasing the causal linkage to negative outcomes. The reality negotiation construct was later expanded to include a discussion of how the process of hoping may be used to increase perceived linkage to positive outcomes. In the two decades since these constructs were first introduced, four individual differences measures have been developed, and the effects of these reality negotiation techniques have been studied extensively. Reality negotiation techniques can be both maladaptive and adaptive and have been shown to be associated with coping and social support in a variety of populations. The chapter concludes by highlighting a few areas in which reality negotiation research could expand to further its relevance and applicability to the field of positive psychology.

scholarly journals Studying individual differences in the social environment to better understand language learning and processing

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (s1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiri Lev-Ari
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Linguistic Performance ◽  
The Social

AbstractPeople learn language from their social environment. Therefore, individual differences in the input that their social environment provides could influence their linguistic performance. Nevertheless, investigation of the role of individual differences in input on performance has been mostly restricted to first and second language acquisition. In this paper I argue that individual differences in input can influence linguistic performance even in adult native speakers. Specifically, differences in input can affect performance by influencing people’s knowledgebase, by modulating their processing manner, and by shaping expectations. Therefore, studying the role that individual differences in input play can improve our understanding of how language is learned, processed and represented.

scholarly journals Social environment influences the relationship between genotype and gene expression in wild baboons

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1618) ◽  
pp. 20120345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Runcie ◽  
Ralph T. Wiedmann ◽  
Elizabeth A. Archie ◽  
Jeanne Altmann ◽  
Gregory A. Wray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Dominance Rank ◽  
Social Stressors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wild Baboons

Variation in the social environment can have profound effects on survival and reproduction in wild social mammals. However, we know little about the degree to which these effects are influenced by genetic differences among individuals, and conversely, the degree to which social environmental variation mediates genetic reaction norms. To better understand these relationships, we investigated the potential for dominance rank, social connectedness and group size to modify the effects of genetic variation on gene expression in the wild baboons of the Amboseli basin. We found evidence for a number of gene–environment interactions (GEIs) associated with variation in the social environment, encompassing social environments experienced in adulthood as well as persistent effects of early life social environment. Social connectedness, maternal dominance rank and group size all interacted with genotype to influence gene expression in at least one sex, and either in early life or in adulthood. These results suggest that social and behavioural variation, akin to other factors such as age and sex, can impact the genotype–phenotype relationship. We conclude that GEIs mediated by the social environment are important in the evolution and maintenance of individual differences in wild social mammals, including individual differences in responses to social stressors.

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