Bowlby's Monotropic Theory Flashcards
What was bowlby’s theory?
That attachment behaviours are pre programmed in our genes in order to provide an adaptive advantage that increases survival
Infants who stay close to an adult caregiver usually there biological mother during the critical period will survive longer be successful and ultimately pass on their genes
How many people did bowlby believe we are attached to?
One (monotropy) but you can go on to have relationships with siblings etc
When does the critical monotropic bond need to be formed?
Critical period - first 3 years of life
What are social releasers?
The child has built up innate mechanisms for encouraging care giving behaviour from parents such as ‘baby faces’ noises and facial expressions, e.g smiling
What are the consequences of attachment?
Internal working model-schema
What is the internal working model - schema?
The first attachment acts as a scheme for future relationships and so affects how the child will have other attachments when they grow up. It will give the child expectations of relationships with other people e.g whether to trust them or not
How could Bowlby’s theory be too simplistic?
Schaffer and Emerson found that child have many attachments to mothers, grandparents and that they attach to the people that are the most responsive. This suggests that a lot of babies attach to more than one person which challenges the theory of monotropy and suggests that babies do not attach to one person. Therefore Bowlby’s research cannot explain why he babies attach to the people they do in life and alternative theories must be considered
What is the research to support that early attachment experiences predict later attachment behaviour which bowlby termed internal working model?
Hazen and shaver carried out the love quiz to find what type of attachment people had during infancy and what type of relationships they experienced during adult hood. It was found that people who were secure or attached as infants experienced stable loving relationships and those who were insecure ambivalent were obsessive and jealous as adults. Thus demonstrating the impact of childhood experiences on the development of adult relationships meaning that Bowlby’s internal working model can be supported
What research supports the critical period of attachment?
Lorenz - goslings imprinted on first moving thing, if they didn’t imprint in the critical period (32 hours) it was unlikely that any attachment would be developed
What research was carried out on humans regarding the critical period?
Klaus and Kennel- found that skin to skin contact between mother and infant just after birth is vital to the bonding process. They found stronger because he between mum and infant when they had given the child lots of skin to skin contact. This suggests that the initial period of time the mother and child spend together will affect the type of relationship they have. Supporting Bowlby’s theory that critical period is necessary to develop a positive attachment
How does the evolutionary theory have practical implications?
The internal working model suggests that the relationship children have with their primary caregivers acts as a template for future relationships
This suggests that parents can influence the types of attachment they have with their child as well as the child’s future relationships
This is important for parents to know as they need to be careful how treat the child to ensure that the children develop a positive template about future relationships
