Attachment - Explanations: Bowlby's Theory Flashcards
Define monotropic in the context of Bowlby’s theory.
A term sometimes used to describe Bowlby’s theory. The mono means ‘one’ and indicates that one particular attachment is different from all others and of central importance to the child’s development.
Define the critical period according to Bowlby’s theory.
This refers to the time within which an attachment must form if it is to form at all. Lorenz and Harlow noted that attachment in birds and monkeys had critical periods. Bowlby extended the idea to humans, proposing that human infants have a sensitive period after which it will be much more difficult to form an attachment.
Define internal working models in the context of attachment.
The mental representations we all carry with us of our attachment to our primary caregiver. They are important in affecting our future relationships because they carry our perception of what relationships are like.
What does Bowlby’s monotropic theory propose about attachment?
Bowlby suggested that attachment is an evolutionary system that increases the chance of survival. He proposed that attachment is monotropic, placing emphasis on one particular attachment figure (the primary attachment figure). Bowlby argued that:
The law of continuity states that the more consistent and predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of attachment.
The law of accumulated separation states that the effects of every separation from the caregiver add up, and ‘the safest dose is therefore a zero dose’.
How does Bowlby explain the role of social releasers and the critical period?
Bowlby suggested that babies are born with innate ‘cute’ behaviours, such as smiling and gripping, known as social releasers, which activate adult attachment systems. This attachment system is a reciprocal process, with both mother and baby predisposed to form attachments.
Bowlby proposed a critical period of around two years for attachment to form; otherwise, it becomes much harder to form one later.
What are internal working models, according to Bowlby?
Bowlby proposed that children form a mental representation of their relationship with their primary caregiver, called an internal working model. This serves as a model for future relationships, influencing expectations and experiences in later life. A child whose first experience is of a loving relationship is more likely to expect future relationships to be warm and reliable. Conversely, negative early experiences may lead to difficulties forming relationships or parenting their own children.
What is one evaluation point?
Bowlby believed that babies generally formed one attachment to their primary caregiver, but research suggests this is not always the case. Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that most babies formed attachments to one person first but also developed multiple attachments. This challenges Bowlby’s focus on monotropy, suggesting that attachment to the primary figure is not necessarily stronger than attachments to other caregivers. However, monotropy may still be significant as primary attachments often involve higher quality emotional bonds.
What is one evaluation point?
Evidence supporting Bowlby’s theory comes from the role of social releasers. Brazleton et al. (1975) found that when primary attachment figures were instructed to ignore their baby’s social releasers, the babies initially showed distress but eventually curled up and stopped responding. This highlights the importance of social releasers in eliciting caregiving behaviour and supports Bowlby’s claim that these behaviours are innate and essential for attachment formation.
What is one evaluation point?
Bowlby’s concept of internal working models is supported by research into the intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns. Bailey et al. (2007) assessed 99 mothers and found that mothers with poor attachment to their own parents were more likely to have poorly attached children. This supports Bowlby’s view that internal working models influence future relationships, providing a mechanism for how attachment patterns are passed down across generations.
What is one evaluation point?
A criticism of Bowlby’s theory is that it may overlook the role of temperament in attachment. Temperament refers to a child’s genetically influenced personality, which can affect their attachment behaviours. Kagan (1982) suggested that some children are more sociable and less anxious due to their temperament rather than their caregiving experiences. This suggests that attachment formation may depend as much on innate temperament as on Bowlby’s proposed evolutionary mechanisms, making the theory incomplete.
