Explanations Of Attachement - Bolwby - Attachement

Question 1

what are the 4 Maccoby characteristics of attachment

Answer 1

seeking proximity
Distress on separation
Joy on reunion
Orientation of behaviour

Question 2

According to Bowlby what is attachment and why do we have it

Answer 2

• According to Bowlby attachment is a behaviour that has evolved because of its survival value.
• An evolutionary trait is always genetically transmitted so children are born with a drive to become attached to a caregiver. It’s innate

Question 3

What are are the 5 parts of Bowlby’s monotrophic theory of attachment

Answer 3

has 5 parts:
Adaptive
Monotropy
Sensitive Period (critical period)
Social Releasers 
Internal Working Model

Question 4

According to Bowlby what are the 2 laws to clarify an attachment figure

Answer 4

2 laws to clarify a primary attachment figure:

• The law of continuity stated that the more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of their attachment
• The law of accumulated separation stated that the effects of every separation from the mother add up ‘and the safest dose is therefore a zero dose.

Question 5

Adaptive

Answer 5

• Attachments are adaptive
• This means they give our species an ‘adaptive advantage’, making us more likely to survive.
• This is because if an infant has a attachment to a caregiver, they are kept safe, given food, and kept warm.

Question 6

Monotropy

Answer 6

• Bowlby believed that infants form one very special attachment with their mother known as monotropy.
• If the mother isn’t available, the infant could bond with another ever-present, adult, mother substitute.

Question 7

Sensitive period

Answer 7

• Sensitive period (3-6 months)
  babies should attach to the caregiver during the most sensitive period
• As the months pass it becomes increasingly difficult to form infants-caregiver attachments. The infant has a critical period, around 2 years - 2 1/2 years when the infant attachment system is active. If the child fails to form an attachment in emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

Question 8

Social releasers

Answer 8

• Babies have social releasers , which unlock the innate tendency of adults to care for them.
• It provides protection and enhances survival.
• Social releasers are both
  Physical - the typical baby face features and body proportions
  Behavioural - e.g. crying, cooing

Question 9

Internal working model

Answer 9

• this is the special model for relationships and has several consequences
• Short term it gives the child insight into the caregiver’s behaviour and enables the child to influence the caregiver’s behaviour, so that a true partnership can be formed
• Long term it acts as a template for all future relationships because it generates expectations about what intimate, loving friendships are like
• The internal working model affects the child’s ability to be a parent themselves
• The continuity hypothesis proposes that infants who are strongly attached will continue to be socially and emotionally competent in their adult relationships.

Question 10

Evidence for / against monotropy

Answer 10

Mixed evidence for monotrophy
- monotrophy does not happen in all infants

+ Schaffer and Emerson found that a significant minority of infants formed multiple of attachments at the same time

+ Seuss et al (1992) have shown that attachment to the mother is more important in predicting later behaviour.

Question 11

Supporting evidence for social releasers

Answer 11

+ Brazelton et al (1975) observed mothers and babies during their interactions. Reporting the existence of interaction also synchrony
They extended their study to an experiment - primary attachment figures were instructed to ignore babies social releasers
The babies initially showed distress and then some responded by curling up and lying motionless
This showed the significance of infant social behaviour in eliciting the caregiver

Question 12

Negative evaluation for monotrophy

Answer 12

Monotrophy is a socially sensitive idea negative
- the law of accumulated separation states that having substantial time apart from a primary attachment figure risks a poor quality attachment that will disadvantage the child in a range of ways later

• Barman (1994) - places a terrible burden on mothers, setting them up to take the blame.

Question 13

Positive evaluation for the internal working model

Answer 13

+ Bailey et al 2007 - 99 mothers and 1 year olds. Poor attachments of mothers to their parents were more likely to have children classifies as poor according to observations