Monotropic Theory Flashcards
What is bowlbys monotropic theory?
Attachment is an innate system that gives survival advantage.
THE THEORY THAT A CHILD IS MORE CLOSER TO ONE PARENT.
What are the 5 evaluation terms for monotropic theory?
M- monotropy
I- internal working model
C- critical period
E- evolutionary principle
S- social releasers
What is research on the monotropic theory?
BAILEY ET AL
-assessed attachment in 99 mothers and their one year old babies.
- researchers measured mother’s attachments to their own parents.
- they also assessed attachment quality of the babies.
What were the findings of bailey et al?
- found that mothers with POOr attachment to their own primary attachment figures were MORE likely to have POORLY ATTACHED BABIES.
What is a weakness of monotropic theoryv
- P- an issue with bowlbys claum that children form a single specific attachment, is that it is not supported by research.
E- eg SCHAFFER AND EMESON, found that by 10 months most babies had formed multiple attachments with parents, grandparents, siblings etc.
E- bowlby also believed that the monotropic bond is in some way different to other attachments. HOWEEVER it may be that this attachment is just STRONGER than other attachments NOT necessarily of GREATER IMPORTANCE.
L- this is a weakness because it goes against Bowlbys theory that the monotropic bond is very important REDUCING INTERNAL VALIDITY OF THE THEORY.
What is a strength of the monotropic theory?
P- a strebgrh of bowlbys monotropic theory is the idea of an internal working model is supported by evidence.
E- eg, Bailey et al (2007), assessed attachment of 99 mothers to their babies and their own mothers.
E- they found that the majority had the same attachment classification BOTH to their babies and their own mothers.
L- this is a strength as it supports bowlbys view that the internal working model of attachment is PASSED THROUGH families. Thus INCREASING INTERNAL VALIDITY to the theory.
What is an issue with the theory, critical period?
P- an issue with the theory is that critics argue that the idea of a critical period is NOT SUPPORTED by evidence.
E- most psychologists instead suggest there is a SENSITIVE period in which attachments are more likely to develop but argue that they could be formed at other times.
E- research has demonstrated even children raised in isolation can go on to form attachments with caregivers AFTER THE critical period.
L- this is a weakness as it suggests that the critical period is NOT as IMPORTANT as bowlby suggests, CAUSING THEORY TO LACK INTERNAL VALIDITY.
