🟡 Attachment - Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory

Question 1

Acronym for monotropic theory

Answer 1

MICIS

Question 2

MICIS

Answer 2

m - monotropy
I - internal working model
C - critical period
I - innate
S - social releasers

Question 3

Basic outline of Bowlbys theory

Answer 3

• infants have innate tendency to form attachments
• attachment is inborn, biological, pre programmed
• attachment naturally present in both infants and mothers

Question 4

What is the evolutionary theory

Answer 4

• evolution is the process whereby useful features are intoducdd into a species
• features are useful is they help the animal survive and reproduce
• animals need to be well adapted to their envonment

Question 5

According to bowlby, why is attachment innate

Answer 5

• according to bowlby, attachment is a behaviour that has evolved because it’s survival value

Question 6

How does attachment help infants survive

Answer 6

Suggests that attachment is innate, this innate tendency gives us the adaptive advantage because caregivers will keep us warm and safe and food

Question 7

Monotropy

Answer 7

He believed that infants form one very special attachment with their mother. This special, intense attachment is called monotropy. If mother not there, infant could bond with another ever present adult (mother substitute)

Question 8

Internal working model

Answer 8

Through the monotropic attachment, the infant would form an internal working model which forms a template for all future relationships. All children’s future adult relationships will be based on this

Question 9

Critical period

Answer 9

Between birth and 2 1/2 years old. The babies have to form an attachment. If this didn’t happen, the babies would be damaged for life (physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually)

Question 10

Innate

Answer 10

Attachments are innate, born with drive to attach. Gives us the adaptive advantage

Question 11

Social releasers

Answer 11

Babies have social releasers which unlock the innate tendency of adults to care for them. Physical and behavioural

E.g crying

Question 12

Supporting evidence of monotropic

Answer 12

• Lorenz’s (1935) goslings, supports that it is an innate and it has to be done in critical period
• Bailey (2007), questioned 99 teenage mothers and with 1 year old babies. They also observed their behaviour. They found mothers who has insecure attachments to their parents were much more likely to have children whose behaviour implied insecure attachments

Question 13

Positive

Answer 13

Many of Bowlys suggestions have been applied to different areas of psychology

Question 14

Study which suggests monotropic theory is wrong

Answer 14

Schaffer and Emerson found that 75% of the infants in their study formed a secondary attachment to their father by 18monthd old. With 29% doing so within a month of forming a primary attachment

Question 15

2 negatives

Answer 15

Many suggest that secondary attachments are very common

Omits the fathers role of attachment