Bowlby's monotropic theory explanation

Question 1

Why did Bowlby oppose the learning theory?

Answer 1

He rejected the theory as he said ‘if it were true, an infant of a year or two should take readily to whomever feeds them, however, this is not the case’.

Question 2

From who’s work did Bowlby take inspiration for the monotropic theory?

Answer 2

The animal studies of Konrad Lorenz and Harry Harlow.

Question 3

What type of theory is the monotropic theory?

Answer 3

An evolutionary theory.

Question 4

Name Bowlby’s two principles:

Answer 4

• The law of continuity,

- The law of accumulated separation.

Question 5

Who is the ‘mother’?

Answer 5

Know known as the primary caregiver, the person who Bowlby believed spends the most time with the baby and plays with them, (not always the biological mother).

Question 6

Explain the law of accumulated separation:

Answer 6

The effects of every separation from the mother add up, and the safest dose is therefore a zero dose.

Question 7

What are social releasers?

Answer 7

A set of innate ‘cute’ behaviours that are designed to draw attention and activate the adult attachment system.

Question 8

Explain the law of continuity:

Answer 8

The more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of their attachment.

Question 9

What are some examples of social releasers?

Answer 9

Cooing and gripping.

Question 10

What is a critical period?

Answer 10

The time in which an attachment must form if it is to form at all.

Question 11

How long did Bowlby say the critical period was?

Answer 11

Two years.

Question 12

The monotropic theory is evolutionary, what does this mean?

Answer 12

That attachments have evolved as an innate system that gives an advantage in survival.

Question 13

Why is imprinting and attachment seen to give a survival advantage?

Answer 13

Because they ensure the young animals stay close to the caregivers for protection and feeding.

Question 14

Why is the theory described as monotropic?

Answer 14

Because it emphasises the importance of an attachment to one particular caregiver (mono), he believed this attachment is different to any others and has more significance.

Question 15

Bowlby referred to the babies (primary) caregiver as what?

Answer 15

The ‘mother’.

Question 16

After stating that the first two years was a critical period, Bowlby changed it to a sensitive period, what does this mean?

Answer 16

It is possible to form an attachment after this, however, it is much harder as they are maximally sensitive in this time.

Question 17

Do Lorenz and Harlow’s findings support or oppose the idea of the critical period?

Answer 17

Their findings support the idea.

Question 18

What is the internal working model?

Answer 18

A mental framework of our own attachments as a baby that acts as a model for our future attachments/relationships etc.

Question 19

How did Harlow’s monkeys demonstrate the idea of the internal working model?

Answer 19

The monkeys used with a wire mother proved to be very poor mothers as adults, some even killing their young.

Question 20

What would Bowlby predict about a child who’s attachment was a loving relationship from a caring mother?

Answer 20

They will form an expectation that all relationships are loving and caring and will bring these qualities to their future relationships.

Question 21

Which of Bowlby’s law’s is this?

The effects of every separation from the mother add up, and the safest dose is therefore a zero dose.

Answer 21

The law of accumulated separation.

Question 22

Why did Bowlby come up with the theory?

Answer 22

After the war, the WHO (World Health Organisation) asked him to write a paper on the mental and physical health of children who lost their parents in the war.

Question 23

When was Bowlby’s theory published?

Answer 23

1952, (After WW2).

Question 24

AO3 - Schaffer and Emerson.

Answer 24

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that it was possible (actually was the norm) for babies to form multiple attachments which opposes the idea of monotropy. However, they also found that the babies did form one attachment more significant than the others.

Question 25

What would Bowlby predict about a child who’s attachment was a poor and they were disregarded by the mother?

Answer 25

They will expect treatment like this from future relationships and treat other s in this same way.

Question 26

Which of Bowlby’s law’s is this?

The more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of their attachment.

Answer 26

The law of continuity.

Question 27

AO3 - Support for social releasers.

Answer 27

Brazleton (1975) observed mothers and babies during interactions, reporting the existence of interactional synchrony. He then extended the observation to an experiment and told PCG’s to ignore babies signals, when they did the babies showed initial distress then lay motionless. This supports the idea of the significance of social releasers in eliciting care-giving.

Question 28

AO3 - Support for internal working models.

Answer 28

Bailey (99 mothers) interviewed 99 mothers about the attachments they had with their mothers, those who reported a poor attachment with their mothers had a poor attachment with their babies.

Question 29

AO3 - Social sensitivity.

Answer 29

Bowlby’s theory puts a huge amount of pressure on mothers, if they go back to work within 2 and a half years then she is potentially damaging the attachment, especially the law of accumulated separation.

Question 30

AO3 - Temperament.

Answer 30

Bowlby emphasises the role of attachment in the child’s developing of social behaviour, however, temperament may be more influential in developing behaviours.

Question 31

AO3 - Sensitive period rather than critical period.

Answer 31

Rutter (1981) found that children adopted at 3 or 4 can still form good quality attachments which supports the idea of the sensitive period rather than the critical period.

Question 32

Who’s research prompted Bowlby to think of the critical period rather than the sensitive period?

Answer 32

Rutter (1981).

Question 33

AO3 - Real-life application.

Answer 33

Bowlby’s theory has allowed parents to stay with their children in hospitals to avoid separation effects, nurses shifts have also changed to develop attachments and familiarity to patients.