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(1976). International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 3:491-497

Attachment and New Beginning—Some Links Between the Work of Michael Bálint and John Bowlby

J. R. Pedder

BACKGROUND

Bowlby's definitive three volume work (1969), (1973 et seq.) crowns a lifetime's researches into the early and late effects of childhood separation. He has recently (Bowlby, 1975) summarized this work. In his reconsideration of instinct theory he argues that attachment behaviour should be 'conceived as a class of behaviour that is distinct from feeding behaviour and sexual behaviour and of at least as equal significance in human life'. He considers the 'most likely function of attachment behaviour is protection, mainly from predators' and therefore crucial to the survival of the species.

Bowlby's work has been criticized (e.g. Engel, 1971)for discarding the dynamic and economic points of view and not adequately distinguishing psychological from behavioural frames of reference. However, as Matte-Blanco (1971) more favourably comments, 'its impact upon ideas regarding the psychobiological foundations of psychoanalysis is bound to be great'. It is suggested here

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