Evolutionary theory Flashcards
Why does Bowlby’s theory of attachment says it increases the chance of survival?
Because as the mother and child’s behaviour is innately programmed as it means the mothers genes can be passed on to the next generation
what are the 5 key features to Bowlby’s evolutionary theory?
Adaptive Social releasers Monotropy Critical Period Internal Working Model
Explain the adaptive feature of Bowlby’s theory
Attachments are adaptive. Attachment is innate and it evolves and persists because it has a survival value.
Explain the social releasers feature of Bowlby’s theory
babies have social releasers which “unlock” the innate tendency for adults to care for them. An attachment will form with those who respond to child’s signals. Adults are biologically attuned to these social releasers,
there are 2 types of social releasers, why are they?
1) physical- “baby face” features and body proportions
2) behavioural- crying or cooing
explain the monotropy feature of Bowlby’s theory
a special attachment figure that is more important than others is called monotropy. If the mother isn’t available then a substitute will be used
explain the critical period feature of Bowlby’s theory
The strong relationship should form and continued unbroken for the first 2 years of ones life (this is called a critical period) If the attachment doesn’t happen in the first 2 years, then there will be problems in later life
explain the internal working model feature of bowlby’s theory
Through the monotropic attachment, the infant world form an Internal working model. All the child’s future relationships are guided by this. If a child suffers deprivation they will develop an internal working memory of themselves as unworthy
what does the internal working model in our brains depend on?
what our caregivers are like and how they are with us-this will lead to what attachment we form
EVALUATION
What is a strength of this to do with Lorenz?
Lorenz found that chicks who he kept in an incubator and saw him before anything else followed him as if he were their mother. When they were adults, they performed mating displays to him and ignored other geese. Those chicks who had seen their real mother first, turned out as suspected. Normal. These chicks IMPRINTED on him or their mother within the first few days of life. This is their critical period
EVALUATION
What is a weakness to do with critical period
Rutter et al. Found that adopted infants in East Europe were still able to form attachments after 1 year. But the later the adoption was, the slower they were to form a attachment. This suggests not a critical period but more a sensitive period.
EVALUATION
How has Bowlby’s theory influenced the real world?
Hospitals now allow parents to stay with their children to prevent attachment disruption, day-care facilities adopt a “key worker” to provide a substitute caregiver in the absence of a parent
EVALUATION
explain the weakness for multiple attachments done by Scafferson and Emerson
It has been suggested that children have multiple attachments with caregivers other than the mother. It is believed that the quality of interaction is more important than the quantity.
EVALUATION
there was a link between early attachment experiences and later social and emotional behaviour done by Prior and Glanser. explain the LOVE QUIZ findings
sure attachment showed= positive outcomes such as less emotional dependence.
avoidant attachment= later aggressiveness
resistant attachment= greater anxiety
disorganised attachment= hostile and aggressive nehaviour
EVALUATION
what did Hazan and Shaver find when doing the love quiz which included questions on early experiences, current relationships and attitudes towards love?
there were characteristic patterns of later romantic behaviour associated with early attachment type. E.g.
secure= positive relationships, trust others+believe in love
insecure-avoidant= fear of closeness, love is not lasting
insecure-resistant= preoccupied by love, fall in love easily but have trouble finding true love.
