Explanations Of Attachment: Bowlby's theory

Question 1

Why attachment forms:

Answer 1

attachment is an important SURVIVAL function and thus if infants aren’t attached, they’re less protected

Question 2

How attachment forms:

Answer 2

-CRITICAL PERIOD: infants have an INNATE DRIVE to become attached. If infants don’t have the OPPORTUNITY to form such attachments, they may have difficulty forming LATER ATTACHMENTS.
-Infants whose mother’s are RESPONSIVE/COOPERATIVE, are more strongly attached.
SOCIAL RELEASERS enable an attachment to develop (smiling, ‘babyface’) which elicit caregiving.
MONOTROPY is the primary attachment relationship which isn’t always the mother

Question 3

Consequences of attachment:

Answer 3

Monotropy enables an infant to form an Internal Working Model which gives the child an insight into the caregivers behaviours (Short-Term) and also acts as a TEMPLATE for future relationships creating expectations of a loving relationship (Long-term)
The CONTINUITY HYPOTHESIS proposes that an individual who is strongly attached in infancy continues to be sociology and emotionally competent in childhood and adulthood