Explanations of attachment: Bowlby's Theory Flashcards

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1
Q

What does Bowlby’s theory suggest?

A

Attachments are innate systems that increases chance of survival.

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2
Q

What did Bowlby believe?

What is monotropy?

A
  • Bowlby believed that infants form one very special attachment with their primary caregiver, typically their mother. -called monotropy.
  • more important than other attachments.
  • More time spent with primary caregiver, the better the attachment
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3
Q

What did Bowlby sugguest?

What are social releasers?

A
  • A set of innate behaviours, which unlock an innate tendacy in adults to care for them.
  • e.g. smiling, crying, cooing to get attention.
  • Babies are born with them.
  • Activate adult social interaction to allow attachment.
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4
Q

What is the critical period and why is it important?

A
  • A period where infants must form attachments within around 6 months.
  • If attachment is not formed around this:
  • Child would be socially, emotionaly, intellectually and physically stunted.
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5
Q

Why are attachments described as adaptive.

A
  • An infant in an attachment is kept safe, warm and fed.
  • Increase chances of survival
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6
Q

What are the evaluations of Bowlby’s theory?

A
  • Supporting research evidence for critical period.
  • supporting research evidence for social releasers.
  • monotropy lacks validity
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6
Q

Evaluation: Monotropy lacks validity

A
  • Limitation: monotropy lacks validity.
  • Schaffer and Emerson found that although babies attached to one person at first,
  • a small minority formed multiple attachments at the same time.
  • Supported by lack of monotropy in collectivist cultures
  • Where multiple caregivers are involved in raising child. - challenge idea of a single primary caregiver.
  • Theory has low validity - across different cultures and is onlya limited explanation for some cases of attachment.
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7
Q

Evaluation: Supporting research evidence for social releasers

A
  • Strength: Supporting research evidence for social releasers.
  • Brazelton observed babies trigger interactions with adults using social releasers.
  • Researchers told PCG to ignore babies’ social releasers
  • Babies became increasingly distressed and wanted attention.
  • Role of social releasers in emotional development is important in attachment.
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8
Q

Evaluation: Supporting research evidence for critical period.

A
  • Strength: Supporting research evidence for critical period.
  • Lorenz animal studies research: Upon hatching baby geese followed the first moving object they saw, during a 12-17 hour critical peiod.
  • Process known as imprinting.
  • If it doesnt occur within the critical period, chicks would not attach themselves to mother figure.
  • Lead to them struggling to devleop social behaviour and attachments in future.
  • Role of the critical period is imporant in attachment.
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9
Q

What is the internal working model?

A
  • A mental representation of the child’s relationship, with their primary caregiver, for future relationship expectations.
  • e.g. child with strong and healthy attachment with their primary caregiver, will develop strong and healthy relationships in the future.
  • Bring qualities to future relationships
  • People base their parenting behaviour on their own experiences of being parented.
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