attachment: bowlby's monotropic theory Flashcards
what is bowlby’s theory of attachment based on?
the claim that behaviours that promote reproduction are naturally selected, genes for any behaviour that helps us survive or that help our genes to survive will appear in future generations.
why do children have an innate drive to become attached to a caregiver?
it has long term benefits, if a child does not become attached they will be less likely to survive and reproduce, therefore attachment genes are perpetuated and infants are born with an innate drive to be attached
what is monotropy?
special bond that helps maintain proximity between parent and infant,
offers the infant the opportunity to develop skills and an understanding of how to attach and bond to others
what causes monotropy?
social releases
what are social releasers?
a social behaviour that elicits a caregivers reaction, they promote interaction, it is suggested that these need to be innate to ensure that infants can maintain close contact with parents, equally parents need to be receptive to these innate cues that the infant displays in order for this to offer an adaptive advantage.
what is a critical period?
a biologically predetermined time that characteristics will develop- outside of this the characteristic will not develop.
babies have an innate drive to become attached around 3-6 months- this period lasts for the first 3 yrs of life.
bowlby argues this attachment should not be disrupted or broken during this time. - ERA studies show this might be longer.
what is internal working model?
it provides a template for future attachments (future relationships), it allows individuals to predict, control and manipulate their environment, as a result, it plays a role in later development, this is continuity hypothesis. - create a schema of what love is.
ao3: what is tronick’s study?
examined attachment in african tribe from zaire called efe, they saw the infants only slept with their mothers at night, but they were cared for and breastfed by other women. at 6 mths the infants attachments were monitored, it was found, despite their upbringings, that the infants had still formed one primary attachment.
ao3: what are the practical applications?
widely accepted that attachment should take place during first few years of life, so infants are placed in adoption at young age, in hospitals parents are allowed to stay, keyworkers in nurserys. it has also influenced changes in mother and child relations- emotional care and responsiveness are seen as ideal.
ao3: why is monotropy out of date?
multiple attachments are the norm for babies, schaffer and emerson found not all infants first attachment is mother: 30% mother and father, 3% father only. bowlby is out of date, 1/10 single parent families are lead by the father, ignoring what happens in gay couples raising children or families where mother is not the one who stays at home.
