Infants with disorganized attachment experience a biological conflict between seeking safety and feeling fear
Infants with disorganized attachment face a biological paradox where their primary source of safety is also their primary source of fear, leading to severe emotional dissociation.
Disorganized attachment, affecting approximately 15% of infants, occurs when a caregiver is simultaneously a source of fear and a source of comfort. Identified by Mary Main and Judith Solomon in 1986, this style is characterized by contradictory behaviors, such as an infant approaching a parent while looking away or suddenly freezing in place. This biological conflict 'floods' the infant's attachment system, making it impossible to find a coherent strategy for seeking safety.
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