Samuel, a 4-month-old, is being cared for by his grandmother when a neighbor stops by to drop off a package. Samuel smiles when the neighbor first plays peek-a-boo with him, but then begins to cry. Once his grandmother picks him up, he begins smiling at the neighbor again. Which of Bowlby's phases of attachment is Samuel likely in?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Samuel is in phase 2: early attachment. He smiled in response to the neighbor playing peek-a-boo, which is an early sign of social referencing and attachment behavior. However, he also cried when the neighbor stopped playing with him, indicating some distress at being separated from his caregiver.

Samuel, a 4-Month-Old, Is Being Cared for by His Grandmother