Theories Social Psychology Affectional Bonds According to Attachment Theory By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial process Kendra Cherry Fact checked by Fact checked by Sean Blackburn on August 04, 2020 linkedin Sean is a fact checker and researcher with experience in sociology and field research. Learn about our editorial process Sean Blackburn on August 04, 2020 Print Kentaroo Tryman / Maskot / Getty Images According to attachment theory, an affectional bond is a form of attachment behavior that one person has towards another. Perhaps the most common example of an affectional bond is that between a parent and child. Other examples include the bond between romantic partners, friends, and other family members. Criteria of an Affectional Bond Psychologist John Bowlby described the term as he developed his highly influential attachment theory. According to Bowlby, as a mother responds to the needs of her child, a strong affectional bond is formed. This bond becomes integrated into the child’s personality and serves as a basis for all future affectional ties. Later, Bowlby’s colleague Mary Ainsworth described five criteria of affectional bonds: Affectional bonds are persistent rather than transitory. They often last for a long period of time and endure rather than coming and going.Affectional bonds are centered on a specific individual. People form strong feelings of attachment and affection towards certain people in their lives.The relationship involved in an affectional bond has strong emotional significance. These affectional bonds have a major impact on the lives of those who share them.The individual seeks contact and proximity with the person he or she has an affectional bond to. We desire to be physically close to the people we share affection with. Involuntary separation from the individual leads to distress. In addition to seeking proximity, people become upset when they are parted from those they are attached to. Ainsworth suggested that the addition of a sixth criteria—seeking comfort and security in the relationship—turned the tie from an affectional bond into a true attachment relationship. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cassidy J, Jones JD, Shaver PR. Contributions of attachment theory and research: a framework for future research, translation, and policy. Dev Psychopathol. 2013;25(4 Pt 2):1415-1434. doi:10.1017/S0954579413000692 Hong YR, Park JS. Impact of attachment, temperament and parenting on human development. Korean J Pediatr. 2012;55(12):449-454. doi:10.3345/kjp.2012.55.12.449 Additional Reading Bowlby, J. The Making and Breaking of Affectional Bonds. Routledge Classics; 2005.