bowlby's monotropic theory of attachment

Question 1

bowlby’s monotropic theory

Answer 1

evolutionary theory - attachment is innate - inherited, need to form them in order to survive - relatively biological

attachments are adaptive - attachment behaviour evolved because it has important survival function in terms of protection - infants in past would’ve been in danger if they weren’t close to an adult

Question 2

monotropy

Answer 2

infants have one special emotional bond - primary attachment - usually mother although if not present another substitute is found.

Question 3

social releasers

Answer 3

innate behaviours or characteristics that lead to caregiving and attachment. can be behavioural (crying, laughing) or physical (‘baby face’)

Question 4

critical period

Answer 4

babies have innate drive to become attached and all innate behaviours have critical period for development. critical period for attachment - 2 years. bowlby proposed that attachment is determined by sensitivity. Infants who’re most strongly attached were ones whose mothers were more responsive.

Question 5

consequence of attachment - internal working model

Answer 5

mental representation of relationship with primary caregiver. acts as template for all future relationships - it generates expectations about what they are like. can also impact child’s own ability to parent

Question 6

consequence of attachment - continuity hypothesis

Answer 6

individuals who’re strongly attached in infancy continue to be socially and emotionally competent whereas those who aren’t have more social and emotional difficulties in later life.

Question 7

law of accumulated separation

Answer 7

effects of separation from mother add up and can seriously damage a child’s development - best to have no separation from mother

Question 8

evaluation - research support for social releasers

Answer 8

brazleton et al - observed mothers and babies during interactions - primary attachment figure was asked to ignore the baby’s social releasers. babies initially showed some distress after a while curled up and lay motionless.

Question 9

evaluation - socially sensitive

Answer 9

monotropy has major implications for lifestyle and choices mothers make when their children are young
burman - law of accumulated separation places terrible burden and responsibility on mother’s shoulders - sets them up to take blame for anything that goes wrong in rest of the child’s life and pushes them away from returning to work when a child is born

Question 10

evaluation - sensitive period rather than ‘critical’

Answer 10

according to bowlby - not possible to form attachments beyond critical period.

rutter et al - bowlby’s claim is true to an extent - less likely that attachments form after CP but it’s not impossible - CP is a developmental window where children are maximally receptive to formation of certain characteristics or behaviour but such developments can take place outside this window so it’s referred to as a sensitive period