Attachment: Monotropic Theory 2024 - 2025

Question 1

Key Term Focus

Name all 5 features of Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 1

• Adaptive
• Social Releasers
• Critical Period
• Monotropy
• Internal Working Model

It’s important to remember these are NOT stages - they are features; they all make up the entire theory

Question 2

AO1 Focus

What is meant by ‘attachment is adaptive’?

Answer 2

Attachment is an innate system, it is inherited to improve survival

Question 3

AO1 Focus

What are ‘social releasers’?

Answer 3

Infant’s are born with techniques such as smiling, crying, and looking ‘cute’ to trigger a response in the caregiver

Question 4

AO1 Focus

What is the purpose of social releasers according to Bowlby?

Answer 4

To trigger a response in the caregiver and ensure an interaction takes place

Question 5

AO1 Focus

According to Bowlby, what is meant by the ‘critical period’?

Answer 5

A biological period where an attachment needs to take place in the first 2.5 years of life, otherwise it may not take place at all

Question 6

AO1 Focus

What is meant by the concept of ‘monotropy’?

Answer 6

Child’s attachment to one caregiver is the most important in the childs development

Question 7

AO1 Focus

What is meant by ‘the internal working model’?

Answer 7

It is a template for what a child expects all future relationships are like

Question 8

STRETCH: AO1 Focus

What two principles did Bowlby propose relating to the time spent with the monotropy?

Answer 8

• The law of continuity
• The law of accumulated seperation

Question 9

STRETCH: AO1 Focus

What is meant by the law of continuity?

Answer 9

The quality of a childs attachment will be better if they receive consistent and predictable care

Question 10

STRETCH: AO1 Focus

What is meant by the law of accumulated seperation?

Answer 10

Substantial time apart from the monotropy risks a poor quality attachment

Question 11

AO1 Focus

What type of internal working model will a securely attached child receive?

Answer 11

Positive

Question 12

AO1 Focus

What type of internal working model will an insecurely attached child receive?

Answer 12

Negative

Question 13

AO1 Focus

A positive internal working model is the result of what type of attachment?

Answer 13

Secure

Question 14

A negative internal working model is the result of what type of attachment?

Answer 14

Insecure

Question 15

AO3 Focus

What feature of Bowlby’s monotropic theory does Lorenz support?

Answer 15

Critical period

Question 16

AO3 Focus

What did Lorenz do?

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Answer 16

Studied imprinting in goslings

This will form the first E of your PEEL

Question 17

AO3 Focus

What did Lorenz find?

This will be your second E of your PEEL

Answer 17

A critical period of 12 - 17 hours in which imprinting needed to occur otherwise it would not later

This will be your second E of your PEEL

Question 18

AO3 Focus

Why does Lorenz’s study support Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

Answer 18

Because it shows the importance of the critical period - infants must form attachments otherwise it would be difficult to later on

Question 19

AO3 Focus

Which feature of Bowlby’s monotropic theory does Hazan & Shaver support?

Answer 19

Internal working model

Question 20

AO3 Focus

Research to support the concept of an internal working model was conducted by, who?

Answer 20

Hazan & Shaver

Question 21

AO3 Focus

What did Hazan & Shaver find during their study?

This will form part of your second E of your PEEL

Answer 21

• Those who were securely attached had happy and long lasting relationships
• Those who were insecurely attached found it hard to form relationships and many were divorced

This will form part of your second E of your PEEL

Question 22

AO3 Focus

Why does Hazan and Shaver support the concept of an internal working model?

This will form part of your Link of your PEEL

Answer 22

Because the paritcipants early attachments acted as a template for future relationships

This will form part of your Link of your PEEL

Question 23

AO3 Focus

Which feature of Bowlby’s monotropic theory is contradicted by Schaffer & Emerson?

Answer 23

Monotropy

Question 24

AO3 Focus

The concept of a ‘monotropy’ is contradicted by, who?

Answer 24

Schaffer & Emerson

Question 25

AO3 Focus

What did Schaffer & Emerson find in their study?

This will form part of your second E of your PEEL

Answer 25

Infants develop multiple attachments which help them develop emotionally, socially, and cognitively

This will form part of your second E of your PEEL

Question 26

AO3 Focus

Why does Schaffer & Emerson’s study contradict Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

This will form part of your Link in your PEEL

Answer 26

Bowlby’s concept of a monotropy says we only have one attachment

This will form part of your Link in your PEEL

Question 27

COMPARISON Focus

How is Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment different to learning theory’s explanation?

Answer 27

Bowlby suggests attachment is innate, whereas learning theory suggests it is learnt