Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory - explanation of attatchment (AO1)

Question 1

What does Bowlby’s monotropic attachment theory suggest?

Answer 1

an innate need to develop a close emotional bond with a caregiver

Question 2

What did Bowlby explore?

Answer 2

the behavioural and psychological consequences of both strong and weak emotional bonds between mothers and their young children

Question 3

What did Bowlby think of previous theories of attachment?

Answer 3

Learning Theory - rejected as “an infant of a year or two should take readily to whoever feeds him and this is clearly not the case”

Lorenz & Harlow - looked at their work for ideas and proposed an evolutionary explanation

Question 4

What was Bowlby’s evolutionary explanation for attachment?

Answer 4

that attachment was an innate system that gave an evolutionary advantage -

imprinting and attachment evolved because they ensure that young animals stay close to their caregivers and this protects them from hazards

Question 5

What is the acronym for Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

Answer 5

A - adaptive
S - social releasers
C - critical period
M - monotropy
I - internal working model
C - continuity hypothesis

Question 6

Explain the A of ASCMIC?

Answer 6

attachments are ADAPTIVE
this means they give our species an ‘adaptive advantage’ making us more likely to survive
this is because if an infant has an attachment to a caregiver they are safe, warm, fed

Question 7

Explain the S of ASCMIC?

Answer 7

babies display SOCIAL RELEASERS which ‘unlock’ the innate tendency of adults to care for them
these are both:
physical - ‘baby face’, body proportions
behavioural - crying, cooing

Question 8

Explain the first C of ASCMIC?

Answer 8

babies have to form the attachment with their caregiver during a CRITICAL PERIOD
this is between 0 - 2.5 years old
B said that if this didn’t happen the child would be damaged for life - emotionally, socially, physically

Question 9

Explain the M of ASCMIC?

Answer 9

B believed that infants form 1 very special attachment, usually with their mother,
this special & intense attachment is called MONOTROPY
attachment is a hierarchy w the primary attachment at the the top + secondary attachments below

Question 10

Explain the I of ASCMIC?

Answer 10

through the monotropic attachment the infant would form an INTERNAL WORKING MODEL
this is a special mental template for relationships
all the child’s future adult relationships will be based on this

Question 11

Explain the second C of ASCMIC?

Answer 11

B suggests that the relationship w one special attachment figure (monotropy) provides the basis for emotional relationships in adulthood
the idea that emotionally secure infants grow up to be emotionally secure adults is called CONTINUITY HYPOTHESIS