Explanations of attachment: Bowlby’s theory

Question 1

What type of explanation of attachment did Bowlby propose?

Answer 1

An evolutionary explanation, based on work from animal studies
(ASCMI)

Question 2

What does the evolutionary explanation of attachment state?

Answer 2

• attachment is innate and gives a survival advantage to keep young animals safe by ensuring their stay close to adult caregivers

Question 3

Why is Bowlby’s theory described as monotropic?

Answer 3

• he placed emphasis on the idea that attachment to one particular caregiver is different and is more important than the others
  > usually the mother/PAF

Question 4

What two laws did Bowlby create to emphasis the idea of monotropy and what do they state?

Answer 4

• Law of continuity > That the more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better quality of attachment
• Law of accumulated separation> Every separation from mother adds up the effects
  ‘safest dose is a zero dose’ Bowlby

Question 5

What are babies born with according to Bowlby?

Answer 5

• social releasers > a set of innate cute behaviours e.g. gripping, cooing smiling

Question 6

What is the purpose of social releasers?

Answer 6

• activate adult social interaction and make adult feel love towards infant > attachment

Question 7

Around what age is the infant attachment system active?

Answer 7

around 6 months

Question 8

What age is the sensitive period and what happens if an attachment is not formed within this period?

Answer 8

• 2.5 years
• becomes harder to form an attachment much later if not formed within this time

Question 9

What is the internal working model (IWM) ?

Answer 9

• Mental representations of a child’s relationship with their primary attachment figure, which serves as a template of what future relationships will be like

Question 10

What would you expect if you had a loving, reliable caregiver?

Answer 10

• Expect all relationships to be like this and will bring qualities to future relationships

Question 11

What would you expect if you had poor treatment from caregiver?

Answer 11

• poor relationships, behaviours and expectations

Question 12

How does the IWM affect a child in the future?

Answer 12

• affects child’s later ability to be a parent themselves

Question 13

What is a limitation of Bowlby’s explanation of attachment?

Answer 13

• issues with validity
• Schaffer & Emerson found that although most babies still attached to one person at first, significant minority formed multiple attachments at the same time
• suggest that although the first attachment appears to have strong influence this may just mean it is stronger rather than different in quality from other attachments
• Bowlby is incorrect about unique quality of PAF

Question 14

What is a strength of Bowlby’s explanation of attachment?

Answer 14

• research to support
• Brazelton et al > observed babies trigger interactions with adults using social releasers
• researchers instructed babies PAF to ignore babies social releasers
• found that previously responsive babies became increasingly distressed and some eventually curled up & lay motionless
• illustrates role of social releasers in emotional development & suggest they are important in process

Question 15

What is another strength of Bowlby’s theory of attachment (IWM)?

Answer 15

• Research support
• Bailey et al> measured 99 mothers and their attachment to their own PAF and the attachment quality of their 1 year old babies
• he found that mothers with poor attachments to own PAF were more likely to have poorly attached babies.
• Suggest ability to form attachments to their babies is influenced by the IWM

Question 16

What is another limitation of Bowlby’s theory of attachment?

Answer 16

• negative implications
• laws of continuity & accumulated separation suggest mothers who work may negatively affect their child’s development
• Feminist Burman> this belief sets up mothers to take the blame for anything that goes wrong for their child in the future
• also gives people the excuse to restrict mothers activities e.g. returning to worm
• limitation