Bowlby's Monotropic Theory of Attachment

Question 1

What are Bowlby’s main claims?

Answer 1

1) Attachment can be explained by evolution,
2) We create one special attachment,
3) We create an internal working model of attachment,
4) There is a critical period for attachment.

Question 2

What does Bowlby mean by attachment can be explained by evolution?

Answer 2

• We have evolved a biological need to attach to our primary caregiver,
• This biological need has developed through natural selection to ensure the survival of the child to maturity.

Question 3

What does Bowlby mean by we create one special attachment?

Answer 3

• Idea of monotropy is that we form one main attachment, usually to our biological mother,
• Forming this attachment has survival value, as staying close to the mother ensures food and protection,
• A strong attachment provides a ‘safe base’, giving us confidence to explore our environment.

Question 4

What does Bowbly mean by we create an internal working model of attachment?

Answer 4

• Theory maintains that forming an infant attachment gives us a template for all future relationships; we learn to trust and care for others,
• Forms an internal working model for all later attachments,
• The model is a working model because it can change and develop over time, depending on how the person’s relationships change,
• This primary caregive provides the foundations for the child’s future relationships, called the continuity hypothesis.

Question 5

What does Bowlby mean by there is a critical period for attachment?

Answer 5

• The first three years of life are the critical period for attachment to develop, otherwise it might never do so,
• If the attachment doesn’t develop, or it is broken, it might seriously damage the child’s social and emotional development,
• Bowlby’s ‘maternal deprivation hypothesis’ assumes if the relationship between the primary caregiver and infant is disrupted or stopped during the critical period there are long-term consequences.

Question 6

Evaluations of Bowlby’s theory

Answer 6

1) Some evidence - Harlow’s study supports the idea that we have evolved a need to attach. Also suggests that social and emotional development might be damaged if an attachment isn’t formed,
2) Schaffer and Emerson (1964) provided evidence against Bowlby’s claims about monotropy. They found that, rather than one main attachment, many children form multiple attachments, and may not attach to their mothers,
3) Harlow’s study of monkeys raised in isolation also goes against the idea of monotropy; other monkeys who didn’t have a mother, but who grew up together, didn’t show signs of social and emotional disturbance in later life. They didn’t have a primary caregiver, but seemed to attach to each other insteadm
4) There is mixed evidence for claims of a critical period for attachments to develop,
5) The effect of attachment no developing, or being broken, may not be as bad as Bowlby claimed,
6) Bowlby’s report in the 1950s led to an increase in ‘stay at home’ mothers, this had a subsequence impact on the economy as fewer women were going to work.