The Relationship Between Attachment, Temperament, and Exploration

Abstract

Classical theories of exploration and play predict or explain why these behaviors exist and why they are a significant force in development (Groos, 1901; Hall, 1920; Lazarus, 1883; Schiller, 1954). Most early twentieth-century theorists dealt with exploration and play as a secondary topic of interest, because each of these psychologists made a mark in other areas of developmental psychology (Freud, 1959; Piaget, 1962; Vygotsky 1967). In recent years there have been three major threads of thought concerning exploration and play. Berlyne (1960, 1966) has introduced an arousal theory based on behavioral learning theory. Bateson (1955, 1956) has proposed a theory that focuses on the communicative features of exploration and play using anthropological-systems theory. Finally, Sutton-Smith (1966, 1967) and Bruner (1972) have emphasized exploration and play as a source of behavioral variability based on a cognitive adaptation framework (Rubin, Fein, & Vandenberg, 1983).