Explanations of attachment: Bowlby

Question 1

How attachment forms:

Answer 1

Critical period: 3-6 months. If a baby can attach to a figure between this time it is likely to be secure.

Social releaser: behaviours that are mandatory at this time to help the baby attach e.g. smiling

Monotropy: one primary caregiver

Question 2

The consequence of attachment:

Answer 2

The relationship between a baby and its one primary caregiver is called the internal working model:

Consequences of the model:
1. short term it gives the child insight to the caregivers behaviour and allow the child to influence the caregivers behaviour

2. long term act like a template for all future relationships, generates expectations.

The continuity hypothesis proposes that individuals who are strongly attached when infants will continue to be strongly attached in later life.

Question 3

A03: Attachment is adaptive

Answer 3

Is it critical for survival? Bowlby suggests attachment develops older than 3 months. Very late if it were survival. In our distant ancestors it may have been vital for attachment to have been made earlier.
But now, mothers look after babies and therefore attachment is not necessary until then.

Supports Bowlby’s view.

Question 4

A03: Sensitive not critical

Answer 4

According to Bowlby it is not possible to form attachment outside the critical period.
However, Rutter shows this claim is true to an extent (it is less likely but not impossible).

Question 5

A03: Support for the continuity hypothesis

Answer 5

Sroufe - followed participants from infancy to late adolescents and found continuity between early attachment and later relationships. Securely attached = high social competence.

Question 6

A03: An alternative explanation

Answer 6

The temperament hypothesis suggests that attachment may be influenced by an infants temperament.(Kagan)