Mary Ainsworth

de Robert S. Marvin, Frances W. Davidson, John M. Davidson

Reviews Mary Ainsworth's studies on attachment behavior and shows how attachment can lead to the growth of loving relationships. Attachment theory is cited by developmental and clinical psychologists as a framework for understanding the impact of emotional ties on individuals throughout the course of their lives. With her pioneer research into the nature of infant-caregiver attachments, Mary Ainsworth provided both the methodology and data for future investigations of how early experiences affect personality development. Includes biographical information about Mary Ainsworth, the influence of John Bowlby upon her work, and the influence ethologists like Lorenz and Harlow had upon both of them. Includes visuals from Ainsworth's observational study of mothers and babies in Uganda in 1955, as well as segments from the Robertson hospital film and the Baltimore study. Includes commentary by Mary Ainsworth.