Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory Flashcards
What does Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory state?
Infants are innately programmed to form attachments with their caregiver.
Which must be formed within the critical period (0-2 years)
What does an attachment not forming cause?
An attachment not forming will mean one may never be formed and may lead to poor social skills in adulthood
What are social releases? How do babies use social releaseers
Expressions made to encourage the caregiver to attach to an infant. Baby may cry, smile or grip onto clothes to get attention
What is the purpose of social releasers?
To activate the adult attachment system, to make the adult feel love towards the baby
What is monotropy?
When infants form an attachment with one key caregiver
What does the monotropical attachment formed develop?
Bolwby suggested that the attachment that is formed during infancy helps us to develop our internal working model
What is meant by the internal working model?
The IWM describes the view that we hold of ourselves and the way we believe other people view us
Based on the internal working model, what did Bowlby suggest about adulthood relationships?
Based on the IWM, Bowlby suggest that our infant attachments affect our adulthood relationships
Our infant attachments affect our adulthood attachment. What is this known as in Bowlby’s theory?
The continuity hypothesis (the law of continuity)
What is Bowlby’s theory known as?
It is known as an evolutionary explanation - attachments give us a survival advantage
What is the law of accumulated separation?
The effects of every separation from the mother adds up and the safest dose is therefore a zero dose
