Bowlby's theory

Question 1

According to Bowlby, why do we attach?

Answer 1

we have an innate biological drive to imprint due to an evolutionary survival instinct which requires a duel direction attachment from the mother and the infant to secure the infants protection

Question 2

What are Bowlby’s 3 key ideas on how we attach?

Answer 2

• critical period (sensitivity to infant)
• social releasers (innate response to infant for its survival)
• monotopy (special primary attachment)

Question 3

what is meant by ‘the critical period’

Answer 3

• happens during 3-6 months
• it is when an attachment forms
• the mother’s response and sensitivity to the infants needs in this period determined how closely attached they were
• if the infant had no opportunity to attach in this period they will have difficult attaching in the future

Question 4

what is meant by ‘social releasers’

Answer 4

• social releases are behaviours or characteristics the infant has in order to draw the caregiver in which enables an attachment to form
• having a cute ‘baby face’ and smiling are social releases which draw the caregiver in
• these social releases are innate in the infant because the caregiver needed to be attached in order to protect the infant from predators/harm, and so infants evolved to have social releases

Question 5

what is meant by ‘monotropy’

Answer 5

• monotropy suggests that infants form primary attachments to one individual
• this is usually the mother
• this is important in ensuring the safety of the infant

Question 6

What are the consequences of attachment according to Bowlby

Answer 6

• the internal working model (how we view the world)
- monotropic attachments influence our relationship expectations & it allows infants to change caregiver behaviour to fit their needs

• the continuity hypothesis (emotionally secure infants go on to be emotionally secure adults)

Question 7

Positives of Bowlby’s theory

Answer 7

• Sroufe at all supported the continuity hypothesis
• Ainsworth also notes the importance of sensitivity and the level of attachment
• Lorenz’s geese study also found that there was a critical period
• The critical period theory could support that attachment/imprinting is innate because it is adaptive to the infants needs e.g infant exploration starts after 6 months and so an attachment before then in necessary to keep them safe (opposes the learning theorists argument)

Question 8

Negatives of Bowlby’s theory

Answer 8

• Schaffer and Emerson’s multiple attachment stage opposes monotropy
• learning theorists argue that food is more important than sensitivity during the formation of attachments
• rutter et al suggests attachments after the critical period are still possible even if they are unlikely so it isn’t actually ‘critical’