Explanation of attachment: Bowlby's theory

Question 1

Continuity hypothesis

Answer 1

The idea that emotionally secure infants go on to be emotionally secure, trusting and socially confident adults.

Question 2

Critical period

Answer 2

A biologically determined period of time, during which certain characteristics can develop. Outside of this time windw such development will not be possible.

(Aroung 3 to 6 months)

Question 3

Internal working model

Answer 3

A mental model of the world which enables indviduals to predict and conteol their enviroment. In this case of attachment the model relates to a person’s expectations about relationships.

Question 4

Monotropy (monotropic)

Answer 4

The idea that the one relationship that the infant has with his.her primary attachment figure is of special significance in emotional development.

Question 5

Social releaser

Answer 5

A social behaviour or characteristic that elicits caregiving and leads to attachment.

Question 6

Issues/Debates

AO1

Answer 6

Free will vs determinism. Bowlby’s theory of attachment is an example of biological determinism as its emphasis on surival on critical periods

Question 7

AO3

Question 8

Attachment is adaptive

Strength

Answer 8

P: A strength of Bowlby’s theory is that it explains why human infants form attachments during the critical period rather than when they are first born.

E: Infants become attached during the critical period of 3 to 6 months, at the same time that they begin to crawl. It is therefore vital that infants form and maintain an attachment during this time, so that their caregivers can protect them

E: This supports Bowlby’s claim that attachments are adaptive.

Question 9

A Sensitive period rather than a critical period

Weakness as its being challenged

Answer 9

Bowly’s claim that attachments can only form within the 3 to 6 month ‘critical’ period has been challenged by Rutter et al’s research.

E: Rutter et al. found that although infants were maximally responsive to attachment formation during critical period, it was still possible for attachments to form outside this narrow window.

E: As a result of this finding, the term ‘sensitive period’ is now preffered as alternative ‘critical period’

Question 10

There is research support for Bowlby’s concept of monotropy

Prior and Glaser (2006)

Answer 10

P: The multiple attachment model, which claims that all attachment figures are equivalent, appears to contradict Bowlby’s concept of monotropy.

E: However, in a review of research Prior and Glaser (2006) concluded that a hierachical model of attachment, which places emphasis one central person ‘higher’ than others, is more likely than multiple attachments

E: This supports Bowlby’s concept of monotropy and his claim that one special attachment plays a more significant role in emotional development

Question 11

There is support for the continuity hypothesis

Answer 11

Bowlby’s claim that early attachment affect subsequent relationship is supported by research

E: The Minnesota parent-child study (Sroufe et al.2005) followed p’s from infancy to late adolescene and found continunity between early attachments and later emotional/social behaviour. individuals who were securely attached in infancy were more socially compentent, more popular and more empathetic later in childhood.

E: This Supports Bowlby’s continuity hypothesis, as it shows a clear link between early and later attachments.

Question 12

What 4 AO3 are you using?

Answer 12

Attachment is adaptive (Strength)

A Sensitive period rather than a critical period (Weakness)

There is research support for Bowlby’s concept of monotropy (Counter-point)

There is support for the continuity hypothesis (Strength)