Emotional development - Bowlby

Question 1

What is attachment?

Answer 1

A two-way emotional bond, where people depend on eachother for sense of community.

Question 2

What did Bowlby say about children’s attachments?

Answer 2

He said that children come into the world pre-programmed to form attachments with others, because this will help them to survive.

Question 3

What happens at the early stages of attachment?

Answer 3

The first 12 weeks, babies cry to get attention.

Question 4

What happens at the indiscriminate attachment stage?

Answer 4

From 3-7 months, children can discover between familiar faces and unfamiliar faces. They become more responsible to the primary caregiver.

Question 5

What happens when a child has stranger fear?

Answer 5

They show distress when they’re left with a stranger and not their primary caregiver.

Question 6

What are the 3 types of attachment styles?

Answer 6

• secure attachment
• avoidant attachment
• ambivalent attachment

Question 7

What happens when a child has avoidant attachment?

Answer 7

The child doesn’t feel comfort from parents and they don’t show a preference for a stranger or the parent.

Question 8

What happens when a child has ambivalent attachment?

Answer 8

The child will show distress when the parent leaves and they don’t feel comfort when they return. Children are wary of strangers and they hesitate to form a close relationship with anyone.

Question 9

What is maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 9

According to Bowlby, if attachment development hasn’t been made within 2 1/2 years, irreversible damage will be caused, effecting the ability for the individual to form adult positive relationships.

Question 10

What are the long-term consequences of maternal deprivation?

Answer 10

• delinquency
• reduced intelligence
• increased aggression
• depression
• affectionless psychopathy

Question 11

What is affectionless psychopathy?

Answer 11

It is the inability to show affection or concern for others. For example, showing no guilt for anti-social behaviour.

Question 12

What did Bowlby’s theory say?

Answer 12

• attachments form within a critical time period of birth - 2.5 years old
• children are biologically pre-programmed to form attachments and infancy is the most important time for forming positive attachments
• disruption to an attachment can hold a negative effect on development. For example, not being able to form secure attachments in adulthood.

Question 13

What are critics of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 13

• some say that there are other stages and that personality can also be inherited.
• some say that delinquent behaviour could be strongly linked to their environment. For example, a ‘rough’ area breeds criminals.
• people assume that kind, honest and respectful parents will have children with the same traits.