Attachments to inanimate objects: Are children who have security blankets insecure?

Abstract

Sam Glucksberg is the incumbent editor. Candidates must be members of APA and should be available to start receiving manuscripts in early 1989 to prepare for issues published in 1990. Please note that the P&C Board encourages more participation by women and ethnic minority men in the publication process, and would particularly welcome such nominees. To nominate candidates, prepare a statement of one page or less in support of each candidate. Submit nominations no later than

Extending the reach of social touch through haptic technology

“…Having a security blanket is a rather common thing in many cultures, and does not seem to be harmful for a child's development [394]. The question remains however, why children become attached to an inanimate object.…”

“…A child can form an emotional dependency on the object and can be soothed by it in times of anxiety and when going to bed [73,394,539]. Crucial for the use of the object and its soothing effect is the tactile quality of the object, which can even be washed as long as the feel of it does not change [73](though see [525] for the importance of familiarity rather than material qualities).…”

“…One suggestion is given by the baby monkey study, namely: the absence of the mother [227]. A popular hypothesis is that child-rearing practices in which there is less social and physical contact between mother and child leads to the child becoming attached to an inanimate object as a kind of substitute for motherly contact [169,316,363] [See also 394]. There is even some evidence that in cultures where children are in constant contact with their mother, attachment to inanimate objects occurs less frequently (see also Section 2.2) [363] [See also 394].…”

“…A popular hypothesis is that child-rearing practices in which there is less social and physical contact between mother and child leads to the child becoming attached to an inanimate object as a kind of substitute for motherly contact [169,316,363] [See also 394]. There is even some evidence that in cultures where children are in constant contact with their mother, attachment to inanimate objects occurs less frequently (see also Section 2.2) [363] [See also 394]. In addition, children who spend more time in day care, away from their parents, are more likely to become dependent on a non-social object for a sense of security than children who spend less time in day care [169].…”

A functional analysis of objects used in stereotyped behavior: The relationship between social and non‐social stimuli

“…A number of authors have suggested that soft objects may have an arousal or anxiety reduction function (c.f. Passman, 1987). Most children do not seem to form similar strong attachments to hard objects, thus suggesting that these stimuli have different functional properties.…”