Bowlby’s Work on Attachment: attachment, deprivation, privation Flashcards
Why do attachments form? (evolutionary benefit)
The behaviour is naturally selected as it benefits both the parent and the babies.
Individuals are more likely to survive and pass down their genes if they are well protected.
And less sensitive parents aren’t attached to their babies so their offspring are more likely to die (so their genes won’t be passed on).
When and how do attachments form?
Bowlby claimed that the critical period for attachment is around 6 months.
According to Bowlby, a baby that doesn’t form an attachment by this age may never be able to form attachments. Babies are attached to carers who are most sensitive and attentive to their needs.
What is Monotropy?
Monotropy is the idea that you form one primary attachment to the most sensitive caregiver (which is normally the mother).
Babies can have multiple attachments, but the rest are secondary attachments (which could be a father or a sibling).
What are the consequences of attachment? (of monotropy, short & long term)
Monotropy forms a ‘template’ for what future relationships should look like.
If your parents were good, you will find it normal to have a good relationship, if your parents were bad, you will find it normal to have a bad relationship (e.g. abusive or argumentative, and you will find a good relationship weird and be sceptical about it).
The short term consequence is that it gives the child insight into the careers behaviour and enables the child to influence it (so a true partnership/attachment can be formed).
The long term consequence is that it is a template for future relationships by creating expectations and norms for what a relationship ‘should’ be like.
What is the strength of Bowlby’s work on attachment? (hint: research on importance of sensitivity)
A strength of Bowlby’s work on attachment is that there is research supporting the importance of sensitivity.
Isabella (1993) observed mothers and babies. He found that the most strongly attached babies had mothers that were more sensitively responsive.
This shows that the sensitivity of the mother is important for a close attachment, as Bowlby suggested..
