Explanations of attachment: Bowlby's Monotropic Theory

Question 1

What does Bowlby argue about attachment?

Answer 1

He argued that attachment behaviours evolved through natural selection - infants are biologically programmed with innate behaviours to form an attachment

Question 2

Explain the role of attachment being adaptive in Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 2

• Attachment provides an evolutionary purpose as it increases the infant’s chance of survival (e.g. a child who stays near a caregiver will be at less ricks from predators i.e. a robber)

Question 3

Explain the role of social releasers in Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 3

• Ensure the caregiver develops an attachment to the baby due to the infant’s innate ‘cute’ behaviours (smiling, baby-like face, innate mechanisms)

Question 4

Explain the role of the critical period in Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 4

• Innate drive to be attached (process should not be disrupted or broken before this time otherwise there would be severe consequences such as neglectful parenting in future)

Question 5

Explain the role of monotropy in Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 5

Monotropy
- A child’s special bond/relationship with a particular caregiver; different to all other attachments and only to one person - the primary caregiver, usually the biological mother.

Question 6

Explain the role of the internal working model in Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 6

• The first attachment provides the child with a template/schema for their future relationships. It begins in childhood and continues through to adulthood - this is called the continuity hypothesis
• Template carries through to relationship with significant other, your peers, and your future children
• Positive internal working model = very loving, supportive parents = will become a consistent caregiver
• Negative internal working model = neglectful parents with high expectations, strict discipline, distant from children = will become inconsistent in caregiving or become neglectful; poor parenting styles

Question 7

Outline one strength of Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 7

Research support for Internal Working Model
P: Research evidence for the existence of the internal working model and the continuity hypothesis
Ev: Bailey conducted an interview and an observation with 99 mothers with 1-year-old babies, assessing the quality of their attachment. The mothers who reported poor attachments to their own parents were more likely to have “poor” attachments with their children according to the observations
Ex: This supports the continuity hypothesis because there is a link between early and later attachments
L: Therefore, these results increase the validity of Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Question 8

Outline two/three limitations of Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment

Answer 8

Monotropy is socially sensitive
P: Monotropy is a socially sensitive concept which has ethical implications for child rearing practices and the lifestyle choices mothers make whilst their children are young.
Bowlby suggests that infants must form an attachment with their primary attachment figure (mother) during their critical period. If a child fails to form this crucial early attachment, they are likely to experience social and emotional problems in later life.
This implies that mothers should spend as much time as possible with their babies to ensure a strong attachment is formed early on.
Which is controversial as it suggests that working mothers are not ‘good parents’ and that their children may be disadvantaged.

Contradictory research findings related to monotropy
P: There are contradictory research findings related to the concept of monotropy.
Ev: Schaffer & Emerson found that 30% of infants formed multiple attachments at 40 weeks. They concluded that infants do form multiple attachments, which is the last stage of attachment stages, whereby infants form attachments with the father, grandparents, siblings etc. (secondary attachment figures).
Ex: This suggests that it is unclear whether monotropy is unique and stronger than other forms of attachment.
L: Therefore, more research needs to be concluded to consolidate the findings

Critical period too extreme
P: Bowlby’s critical period is too extreme
Ev: According to Bowlby, the critical period for humans is 2 years. It is the period in which an attachment must form between infant and caregiver, otherwise negative consequences may arise later in life, such as neglect. However, Rutter states that this is true to an extent. It isn’t impossible but simply less likely that attachments will form after the critical period
Ex: This suggests that attachments can form outside of Bowlby’s critical period
L: Therefore, it may be more appropriate to use the term ‘sensitive period’ as this reflects the fact that the development window is one where it is important that certain attachments are formed, but such developments can take place outside of the window of 2 years