bowlby theory of attachment

Question 1

what did bowlby believe

Answer 1

he believed that attachment occurs in the first year of a childs life and that the reactions and behaviours of te caregiver are crucial

Question 2

evolutionary perspective

Answer 2

during evulation, it wouldve been babies who stayed close to their mothers that would have survived to have children on their own.

Question 3

bowlby hypothesis

Answer 3

he hypothesized that both infants and mothers had evolved a biological need to stay in contact with each other

Question 4

monotropy

Answer 4

there should be a primary bond which was much more important that any other.

Question 5

what did bowlby argue

Answer 5

argued that the relationship between a mother and its child is somehow different altogether from other relationships

Question 6

what does a child signal to their carer when experiancing heightened arousal?

Answer 6

crying, smiling and locomotion are examples of these signalling

caregivers respond to their childs behaviour creating a reciprocal pattern of interaction

Question 7

critical period

Answer 7

he believed there was a sensitive period (0-5 years) for imprinting to occur by early contact with their primary caregiver. if attachment figure is broken or disrupted during critical period, child will suffer long term consequences of this maternal deprivation. this risk continues till the age of five

Question 8

maternal deprivation (bowlby)

Answer 8

if separation from the primary caregiver occurs during the critical period and there is no adequate substitute for emotional care, the child will suffer from deprivation

Question 9

what can a child suffering deprivation lead to

Answer 9

reduced intelligence\
increased aggression
depression
affectionless psychopathy

Question 10

affectionless psychopathy

Answer 10

characterised by a lack of concern for others, a lack of guilt and the inability to form meaninful relationships

Question 11

bowlbys internal working model: framework, draw framework

Answer 11

a cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding the world, self and others and is based on the relationship with a primary caregiver

Question 12

3 main features of the internal working model

Answer 12

a model of others as being trustworthy
a model of the self as valuable
a model of the self as effective when interacting with others

e.g. the mother treats a child in a particular way - this influences the 3 factors
is my mum trustworthy?
am i valuable?
can i have effective interactions with others?

Question 13

summary of bowlby

Answer 13

his theory suggests that children come into the world biologically pre-programmed to form attachments with others because this will help them to survive. he suggested that there is a critical period for attachment to develop (2.5 years), if it has not happened by then, then it may not happen at all.

Question 14

strengths of bowlby

Answer 14

helps maintain proximity between infant and parent
offers infant to develop skills and an understanding of how to attach and bond to others
provides framework for understanding behaviour
supports the development of secure attachment

Question 15

limitations of Bowlby

Answer 15

limited cultural and contextual diversity
neglects other factors
doesn’t encounter the role of other caregivers or social factors in attachment

Question 16

maternal deprivation (definition)

Answer 16

emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a mother and its child