L6 - Bowlby's Monotropic Theory

Question 1

What is the fundamental principle of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 1

• That attachment between infants and caregivers is an instinct that has evolved because it increases the chances of both the babies’ survival and the parents’ passing on their genes.
• It is therefore adaptive

Question 2

How is this attachment formed?

Answer 2

• Infant’s have an innate (biologically programmed) drive to become attached to an adult.
• The critical period for attachment is before a child is two years of age. Infants who fail to do this may have difficulty forming attachments later on.

Question 3

The caregiver’s sensitivity

Answer 3

Infants who are the most strongly attached tend to have a caregiver who is responsive, co-operative and more accessible.

Question 4

What are social releasers?

Answer 4

They include smiling and crying, they are behaviours that elicit care giving. Babies display them to encourage their caregivers to look after them.

Question 5

What is monotropy and secondary attachment?

Answer 5

• Monotropy is the fact that infants will have one special emotional bond (often with biological mother but not always)
• Secondary attachments also provide an important emotional safety net and are vital for healthy psychological and social development.

Question 6

The Consequences of Attachment (positive)

Answer 6

• The importance of monotropy is that the infant uses this relationship to form a mental view of relationships, which is called an internal working model.
• The continuity hypothesis proposes that individuals who are securely attached in infancy continue to be socially and emotionally competent

Question 7

• Schaffer and Emerson

Answer 7

• suggested that multiple attachments are more common in babies, rather than monotropy. They found that by 18 months old only 13% of the infants had only one person they were attached to.

Question 8

– Why is monotropy socially sensitive?

Answer 8

• It places a terrible burden of responsibility on mothers
• Places pressure on mothers to stay at home and give up their careers.
• Outdated sexist view

Question 9

– Tizard and Hodges

Answer 9

• Found that children who had never formed any attachments by the age of four, could still form attachments with their new adopted parents. This goes against the idea of the ‘critical period’ of two years.