Bowbly monotropic theory Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is the Monotropic theory?
- one attachment to one parent stereotypically the mother
-innate response - a bond must form in the critical period which is the first 2 years of the infants life
- this attachments works as an internal working model and will shape future relationships
-strength of this attachment influences a child’s social and emotional outcomes
Law of continuity
- The care a child receives must be consistent for an attachment to form
How does Monotropy link to animal studies
-animals form one attachment which benefits their survival
Law of accumulated
The effects of separation from the primary care giver add up- have problems later on
What did Bowlby suggest about social releasers?
He suggest that babies are born with the innate cute behaviours that encourage attention from adults- these are called social releasers because their purpose is to activate adult social interaction
When does a child become sensitive?
at 2 years old, if no attachment is formed by this age within the critical period they will struggle to form attachments later on.
What is the internal working model?
The internal working model is a mental framework formed through a child’s early attachment experiences with a caregiver, which shapes their experiences and expectations for future relationships
What happens if a caregiver is consistently sensitive?
The child develops positive IWM, viewing themselves as worthy of love and others as trustworthy. This fosters a secure attachment and healthy relationships later on in life.
What happens if a caregiver is neglectful or inconsistent?
-Can lead to a negative IWM, where the child may see them self as unworthy and see others as unreliable, potentially resulting in insecure attachments in the future
Evaluate the Internal working model
- lacks validity- as Schaffer and Emmerson say that there is more than one attachment type and that multiple attachments can form.
- lacks external validity
What did Bailey suggest?
- supports Bowlby’s idea that mothers ability to form attachments to their babies are influenced by the internal working model.
-mothers with poor attachment to their own mothers/ caregivers will have poor attachments to their infants
What did Feminists suggest?
Burman state that the belief of continuity and accumulated sets up mothers to take the blame for anything that goes wrong with the child in the future- an excise for mothers to return to activities such as go back to work.
Why is Monotropy a sensitive topic?
-blames mothers for future issues
-mothers feel guilt for returning to work
-not everyone is raised by their mother
