BMY

Question 1

support for innate and adaptive-

Answer 1

There is supporting evidence
from a number of studies into imprinting which demonstrate that attachment is adaptive and innate. Newborn animals such as goslings appear to form a picture of their parent(s) within hours of birth and this helps them stick closely to this important source of protection and food. Lorenz believed that imprinting has evolutionary value for animals since the young animal that follows its mother is more likely to be safe from predators, to be fed and to learn how to find food, i.e. to increase their chances of survival and natural selection. However, care must be taken when extrapolating from goslings to humans – imprinting (following behaviour) may not be an appropriate model for the development of attachment (human emotion). (human attachment systems more complex)

Question 2

Are multiple attachments as important as monotropy?

Answer 2

Concept of monotropy has criticisms of its usefulness. In contrast to monotropy
contradictory research into multiple attachments has suggested that all attachment figures are equally important (Rutter). This questions whether there is the need for a special relationship with one central person above others in the hierarchy of attachments. Thomas (1998) suggests the tendency to form a single main attachment is not good for healthy psychological development and that it may be more desirable to have a variety of different attachments that meet the growing needs of the infants. Thomas found in Caribbean and European cultures children developed many equally important attachments. This suggests there is mixed evidence for monotropy as a hierarchical attachment weakening the validity of Bowlby’s explanation.

Question 3

Supporting evidence for IWM

Answer 3

There have been numerous studies
into child and adult relationships that provide support for the internal working model. Hazan and Shavers found that adult romantic love can be related back to an individual’s attachment history. Secure attachment types had love experiences that were happy, friendly,
trusting. Insecure types found relationships less easy, were more likely to be divorced and felt that true love was rare. In addition, Simpson et al’s (2007) found that participants who were
securely attached as infants were rated as having higher social competence as children, closer to their friends at age 16 and were more expressive and were emotionally attached to their romantic partners in early adulthood. This supports the view that attachment type
does predict future childhood and adult relationships.