Explanations of Attachment- Bowlbys Monotropic Theory Flashcards
What are the five elements of Bowlby’s monotrpic theory?
Adaptive, social releasers, critical period, monotropy and internal working model
What is adaptive?
Attachment patterns are innate or genetic and had evolved as it was useful for survival. Proximity would provide protection from predators. It supports the nature side of the debate
What are social releasers?
Babies have developed species specific behaviour to help maintain closeness or proximity. For example clinging to maintain proximity, smiling to maintain parental attention and crying to attract parents attention
What is the critical period?
The time in which an attachment should take place. This is the first 12 months of life for most children and between two and a half and three years for all children. If mothering did not take place within the critical period there would be physical, intellectual and social problems for the children in later life
What is monotropy?
The strong tendency to become attached to one particular individual which is usually the mum. Bowlby said that this attachment was different in quality, unique, the first to develop and the strongest of all
What is the internal working model?
The first attachment was crucial for later development since the child formed an internal working model for all later relationships. It is a template for future relationships. It can also affect the child’s ability to be a parent themselves as they base their parenting behaviour on their own experiences of being parented. This explains why functional families tend to have similar families themselves
Who created the first study to support Bowlbys monotropic theory?
Lorenz
What did Lorenz find?
Imprinting supports Bowlbys monotropic theory as the geese formed a closeness to Lorenz demonstrating proximity. They attached to one particular individual showing monotropy and and attachment took place in the first 12 months which provides evidence for the critical period
Who created the second study to support Bowlbys monotropic theory?
Hazan and Shaver
What did Hazan and Shaver do and find?
They wanted to explore if there was a link between attachment type information in infancy and the success of adult relationships. Using a love quiz they found a relationship between the attachment people developed in infancy and the length of a committed relationship that they had in adulthood. This supports the theory as it shows that there is an internal working model
Who created the first study that criticises Bowlbys monotropic theory?
Schaffer and Emerson
What did Schaffer and Emerson find?
Not all babies form a primary attachment with just one person and they found that one third of babies formed attachments with several people. For 3% of babies their first attachment was their father but 10% formed their first attachment with another caregiver. This criticises the idea of monotropy because not all babies for,ed an attachment with one specific individual
Who conducted the second study that criticises Bowlbys monotropic theory?
Lamb
What did Lamb find?
Boys aged between 15 and 24 months preferred to be with their fathers. This criticises Bowlbys view that the mothers caregiving is central to healthy development as the father is equally important but Bowlbys work concentrates on the importance of the mother but this may not be the case
