John Bowlby was born in London, England. His father, a psychiatrist, inspired him in childhood to make his interest in psychology an actual career. He obtained his BA in psychology at the University of London and his PhD at the London School of Economics. He joined the Tavistock Clinic in London to conduct clinical research into the causes of mental illness
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His theories of attachment and separation anxiety were published in 1939. From 1942 to 1946 he worked for the World Health Organization on post-war projects. During this time he was responsible for setting up the UK's first child guidance clinic and for overseeing child welfare services until 1951.
He went on to become Director of the National Institute for Social Research, which became part-time in 1960, and Professor of Social Psychology at Bedford College, London University. He died at his home in London on April 26, 1990.