Explanation of Attachment: Bowlby's Theory Flashcards
What is the evolutionary theory of attachment?
- The tendency to form attachments is INNATE
- Present in infants and mothers
What did Bowlby believe if you failed to make a secure attachment?
That you would struggle to form attachments in the future
What is the continuity theory?
That your attachment formed as an infant will affect your attachments in the future
What theory did Bowlby come up with in 1958 and 1969?
Monotropic theory of attachment
What acronym can be used to remembers Bowlby’s evolutionary theory?
ISCAM
What does I stand for in ISCAM?
Internal working model
What does S stand for in ISCAM?
Social releasers
What does C stand for in ISCAM?
Critical period
What does A stand for in ISCAM?
Adaptive
What does M stand for in ISCAM?
Monotropic
What does adaptive mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?
- Attachment are adaptive
- Increases likelihood of survival (safety, warmth and food)
What does social releasers mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?
- Innate ‘cute’ features of a baby
- Used to build a relationship
- Activate the adult attachment system
- Reciprocal system
What does critical period mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?
- Attachment must be formed during this time
- Birth and 2.5 years old
- If not formed difficult to form attachment later on
What does monotropy mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?
- A primary attachment figure
- More time spent with the primary attachment the better
What does internal working model mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?
Children form a mental representation of their relationship
What is the law of continuity?
The more constant a child’s care, the better the quality of attachment
What is the law of accumulated separation?
The effects of every separation adds up (Safest does is therefor no does)
Does the Czech twins case study support Bowlby’s theory?
No, critical period shown to be a sensitive period
Why does Schaffer and Emerson (1964) support and limit the monotropic theory?
Infants do form a primary figure attachment but then also forms multiple attachments later on
What part of ISCAM does Brazleton et al (1975) support?
Social releasers
What did Brazleton et al (1975) do?
Instruct primary caregivers to ignore their infant’s social releasers
Is the monotropy theory socially sensitive?
Yes
Why is the monotropy theory socially sensitive
As the law of accumulated separation suggests that mothers shouldn’t go to work
