Explanations of attachment: Bowlby's theory Flashcards
What are the 5 components of Bowlby’s monotropic theory?
Adaptive, social releasers, critical period, monotropy + internal working model
Why do attachments form according to Bowlby’s monotropic theory?
Because it promotes the infant’s survival (this would be very important in our evolutionary past)
What are social releasers?
Behaviours or characteristics that elicit caregiving and lead to an attachment
Give an example of behavioural social releasers.
Crying
Give an example of physical social releasers?
Button nose
What is the critical period according to Bowlby?
3-6 months
What happens if children don’t form an attachment in the critical period according to Bowlby?
They develop abnormally
What is monotropy?
The idea that an infant forms one very strong emotional attachment with their primary caregiver
What is the internal working model?
A mental model of the world which enables infants to predict and understand relationships
How does the IWM impact infants in the short term?
It gives the infant insight into the caregiver’s behaviour
How does the IWM impact infants in the long term?
It acts as a template for romantic and platonic relationships
What is the continuity hypothesis?
It suggests that infants with secure attachments in their childhood continue to be socially + emotionally competent in adulthood, and those who are insecurely attached grow up to be socially and emotionally abnormal
What are the 4 AO3 points of Bowlby’s monotropic theory?
1) Support for adaptive nature
2) Criticisms of critical period
3) Support for IWM
4) Criticisms of monotropy
Why do human infants form attachments between the ages of 3-6 months and not at birth?
When human infants begin crawling (around 6 months) attachment is vital to prevent harm
Why do monkey infants form attachments very quickly?
They cling to mothers to survive
What has the critical period been renamed?
The sensitive period
Who criticised Bowlby’s theory of a critical period?
Rutter
What did Rutter find that disproved Bowlby’s concept of a critical period?
Although the chance of developing an attachment after the critical period is decreased, it is not impossible
What did Rutter suggest the sensitive period was?
0-2.5 years
Which study supports the continuity hypothesis?
The Minnesota parent-child study
What did the Minnesota parent-child study find?
Continuity between early childhood attachment and later social/emotional behaviour
In the Minnesota parent-child study, what did securely attached infants grow up to be?
Highest rated for social competence, less isolated, more popular + more empathetic
Whose research disproves the concept of monotropy?
Schaffer and Emerson
How does Schaffer and Emerson’s research disprove monotropy?
They found that within one month of forming the first attachment, 29% of infants had a further attachment, and this rose to 78% within 6 months
