Attachments to Blankets, Teddy Bears, and Other Nonsocial Objects: A Child's Perspective

• Published in: The Journal of genetic psychology Vol. 156; no. 4; pp. 443 - 459
• Main Authors: Lehman, Elyse Brauch, Arnold, Barbara E., Reeves, Sally L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.1995; Heldref; Journal Press, etc; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child development; Child psychology; Children & youth; Developmental psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Preschool Children; Primary Education; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Thinking Skills; Toys; Young Children; Human; Preschool age; Belief; School age; Affective attachment; Attitude; Development; Object; Child
• ISSN: 0022-1325; 1940-0896
• DOI: 10.1080/00221325.1995.9914836

The purpose of this study was to provide normative developmental data on children's thinking about attachments to soft objects. Four- to 8-year-old children (54 with object attachments and 27 without object attachments) were interviewed about their understanding of an object attachment's history and function, their perceptions of adults' reactions to object use, their beliefs about appropriate use of these objects, and their reasoning about an object's unique identifying attributes and functions (e.g., comforting). Even young children with object attachments were able to provide clear and cohesive descriptions of their nonsocial attachments. However, the children's reasoning about the uniqueness of objects was affected by both age and experience. The results have implications for hypotheses about the origins of object attachments, and the findings are discussed in terms of sources of children's beliefs.