This essay will first explain the different stages associated with the social development of young people in the early years of their lives, with examples of Schaffer and Emerson's theory of attachment stages. Next the essay will evaluate theories of attachment between a child and their parents/guardians, evaluating Bowlby's attachment theory and using examples from Freud's "hidden love theories" and behavioral and psychoanalytic perspectives with respect to Bowlby. It will then look at all the factors that contribute to making a difference for individuals during attachment and look at how fear and anxiety play a role during children's separation from their primary caregiver. Next the essay will respond to Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation and examine any long-term consequences that occur because of this. According to Kagan et al. (1978) attachment is defined as “An intense emotional relationship, specific to two people, which lasts over time and in which prolonged separation from the partner is accompanied by stress and pain”. The definition shows that attachment is important in life, and it is said that our first attachment is fundamental to our development towards other relationships, for example with other family members, friends and romantic relationships. Bowlby (1973) presented that newborn humans are vulnerable and are genetically programmed to behave in certain ways to ensure survival, and further states that mothers inherit a "genetic blueprint" for responding to the child at all times. A child's attachment to their mothers will determine how close they are and how the child behaves around strangers, usually making social responses in reaction to fear, illness, or being unfamiliar... middle of paper.. ..his behavior was due to the loss of his mother figure. However Rutter disproved this and found that this was due to deprivation without ever developing any attachments which led to children's anti-social behaviour. Suomi and Harlow later discovered that the effects of deprivation could be reversed by referring to Harlow's previous study on monkeys. This was later proven true along with Koluchova's study of Czech twins. Their previous life had little or no effect on their later life, in which they performed well in school and showed no signs of psychological abnormality or unusual behavior. REFERENCES: • Doherty, J. and Hughes, M. 2009. Child development. Harlow, England: Pearson Longman.• Gross, R.D. 2005. Psychology. London: Hodder Arnold.• Gross, R.D., Mcilveen, R., & Coolican, H. 2000. Psychology. London: Hodder & Stoughton.