Attachment : Bowby’s Theory

Question 1

what is a critical period?

Answer 1

the time within which an attachment must form if it is to form at all

Question 2

what is our internal working model?

Answer 2

our mental representations of the world - it affects our future relationships because it carries our perception of what relationships are like

Question 3

why is Bowlby’s theory described as monotropic?

Answer 3

because he emphasised a child’s attachment to one particular caregiver
he believed that the child’s attachment to this one caregiver is different and more important than others

Question 4

what does the law of continuity state?

Answer 4

the more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of their attachment

Question 5

what does the law of accumulated seperation state?

Answer 5

the effects of every seperation from the mother add up ‘and the safest dose is a zero dose’ (Bowlby 1975)

Question 6

what are social releasers?

Answer 6

innate cute behaviours babies are born with (like smiling, cooing and gripping) that encourage attention from adults

Question 7

finish the sentence: Bowlby proposed that there is a _______ _______ around ____ months when the infant attachment system is active.

Answer 7

critical period
six

Question 8

name a limitation of Bowlby’s theory

Answer 8

concept of monotropy lacks validity
shaffer and emerson (1964) found although most babies did attach to one person at first, significant minority formed multiple attachments at same time
+ although first attachment does appear to have influence on later behaviour, may simply mean it’s stronger not necessarily different in quality from others

means Bowlby may be incorrect that there’s a unique quality and importance to the child’s primary attachment

Question 9

outline a strength of Bowlby’s theory (hint : social releases)

Answer 9

evidence to support role of social releasers

Brazelton (1975) observed babies trigger interactions with adults using social releasers
researchers then instructed babie’s primary attachment figures to ignore their babie’s social releasers
babies became increasingly distressed
illustrates role of social releasers in social development + suggests they’re important in process of attachment development

Question 10

outline a strength of Bowlby’s theory (hint: model)

Answer 10

support for internal working model
bailey et al., (2007)
assessed attachment relationships in 99 mothers + their one year olds
researchers measured mother’s attachment to their own primary attachment figures
assessed attachment quality of babies
found mothers with poor attachment to their own primary attachment figures were more likely to have poorly attached babies
supports Bowlby’s idea that mother’s ability to form attachments to their babies is influenced by their internal working models