Attachment and development could both depend on the setting in which a child grows up. For instance, a child raised in a neighborly community may feel attachment to many different people and could behave differently than someone raised in a less welcoming or rural setting.
I also agree that attachment can be influenced by a child's setting. However, I think that most of the attachment stems from the direct parent-child relationship rather than what is going on around them. Also I am a little confused about your notion of a "rural" setting because rural settings can definitely contain many close parent-child relationships due to the absence of the traits characteristic of an "urban" society. For example, since there may not be as many events or things to do in a rural society, the family unit can actually be closer than one in a neighborhood where there are many things going on and everyone is busy.
I also agree that the surroundings can influence a child's attachment. A secure attachment in a rural area could be a result of a small town where in the inhabitants are all really close and help one another in times of need. Especially if you live in a joint family, the child is exposed to many different types of attention. Lifestyles are simply very different in a rural area vs. a major city--it could definitely have a significant impact on the a child's attachment.
I also agree with this statement. It may not even have to be just a friendly neighborhood that promotes securely attached children. For instance, some families are very large, with cousins, aunts, and uncles that are close and visit often. A child growing up in this environment may also feel more securely attached because of their close interaction with other adults.
-- Edited by 102intro on Tuesday 14th of April 2009 03:41:50 PM
A mal-nurshed lifestyle is less likely to yield a secure infant or adult. If a person is starving as they grow up, they are less likely to be playful or to explore in childhood, and are less likely to be trusting adults; it is not causal it's merely a correlation.
I agree that surroundings can effect attachment; some of the most important aspects of the surroundings are the friendliness of the mother and the lower tiers on the maslow hierarchy of needs.
I agree that the setting the child is growing up in is a more critical factor than just infant attachment to any caregivers. Although I think that infant attachment can affect how the child grows up and adapts to the settings.
I also agree in the idea of nurture over nature. The setting one lives is has a constant role in ones life and thus one would have a greater response to it.
