A consideration of social referencing in the context of attachment theory and research

Mary D. Salter Ainsworth

pp. 349-367

in: Saul Feinman (ed), Social referencing and the social construction of reality in infancy, Berlin, Springer, 1992

Abstract

As demonstrated by the chapters in this volume, the concept of social referencing refers to a diversity of phenomena observed by scholars from a variety of disciplines and divergent theoretical positions. Since attachment theory has eclectic underpinnings and is an open-ended theory, it is subject to revision, refinement, and extension in the light of further research. As what is meant by social referencing is better agreed upon, and as research into both it and attachment proceeds, it seems likely that its overlap with attachment will become clearer. Nevertheless, it is evident that there are even now important overlaps and areas of congruence. It is my hope that my comments here may help to clarify the degree of congruence that is already appreciable; there may well be more overlap between social referencing phenomena and attachment phenomena than I have included in this chapter.