Explanation of Attachment: Bowlby's Theory

Question 1

What is the evolutionary theory of attachment?

Answer 1

• The tendency to form attachments is INNATE

- Present in infants and mothers

Question 2

What did Bowlby believe if you failed to make a secure attachment?

Answer 2

That you would struggle to form attachments in the future

Question 3

What is the continuity theory?

Answer 3

That your attachment formed as an infant will affect your attachments in the future

Question 4

What theory did Bowlby come up with in 1958 and 1969?

Answer 4

Monotropic theory of attachment

Question 5

What acronym can be used to remembers Bowlby’s evolutionary theory?

Answer 5

ISCAM

Question 6

What does I stand for in ISCAM?

Answer 6

Internal working model

Question 7

What does S stand for in ISCAM?

Answer 7

Social releasers

Question 8

What does C stand for in ISCAM?

Answer 8

Critical period

Question 9

What does A stand for in ISCAM?

Answer 9

Adaptive

Question 10

What does M stand for in ISCAM?

Answer 10

Monotropic

Question 11

What does adaptive mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?

Answer 11

• Attachment are adaptive

- Increases likelihood of survival (safety, warmth and food)

Question 12

What does social releasers mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?

Answer 12

• Innate ‘cute’ features of a baby
• Used to build a relationship
• Activate the adult attachment system
• Reciprocal system

Question 13

What does critical period mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?

Answer 13

• Attachment must be formed during this time
• Birth and 2.5 years old
• If not formed difficult to form attachment later on

Question 14

What does monotropy mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?

Answer 14

• A primary attachment figure

- More time spent with the primary attachment the better

Question 15

What does internal working model mean in Bowlby’s Monotropic theory?

Answer 15

Children form a mental representation of their relationship

Question 16

What is the law of continuity?

Answer 16

The more constant a child’s care, the better the quality of attachment

Question 17

What is the law of accumulated separation?

Answer 17

The effects of every separation adds up (Safest does is therefor no does)

Question 18

Does the Czech twins case study support Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 18

No, critical period shown to be a sensitive period

Question 19

Why does Schaffer and Emerson (1964) support and limit the monotropic theory?

Answer 19

Infants do form a primary figure attachment but then also forms multiple attachments later on

Question 20

What part of ISCAM does Brazleton et al (1975) support?

Answer 20

Social releasers

Question 21

What did Brazleton et al (1975) do?

Answer 21

Instruct primary caregivers to ignore their infant’s social releasers

Question 22

Is the monotropy theory socially sensitive?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

Why is the monotropy theory socially sensitive

Answer 23

As the law of accumulated separation suggests that mothers shouldn’t go to work