Bowlby's Monotropic Theory Flashcards
(9 cards)
Adaptive
- attachment is an innate evolutionary behaviour
- enhances chances of survival by ensuring vulnerable infants are looked after
what is EEA?
environment of evolutionary adaptiveness
- adaptations caused by selective pressures
what is monotropy?
- we are primed to form a special attachment to a specific caregiver
- more important than secondary attachments which can be formed
- about the person who responds best to babies needs
what are social releases?
- behaviours that infants display to encourage caregivers to become attached
- pre-programmed to display these behaviours (innate) e.g. crying, smiling, finger grasping etc.
what is the critical period?
- inspired by ethological evidence (Lorenz)
- Bowlby claimed human attachment needed to happen within 3 - 6 months
- failing to attach in this period can cause negative consequences in later life
what is the internal working model?
- babies form a schema of what a healthy attachment and relationship is, based on their primary attachment
- forms the basis of their future interactions and relationships
what is the continuity hypothesis?
- follows from the internal working model
- concept that your primary attachment will continue to influence you and affect your behaviour in the long term
- e.g. securely attached children will have securely attached relationships
strengths of bowlbys theory
Animal research to support it
- Lorenz and Harlow found evidence that attachment is an innate behaviour
Evidence to Support Continuity
- Sroufe: longitudinal study for parent-child relationships and found a continuity for early attachment and later emotional/social relationships
limitations of bowlby’s theory
The idea of the Critical Period
- Rutter found children who were unable to form attachments in the critical period formed them later in life
Alternative explanations
- kagan said temperament affected type of attachment formed, e.g. easy temperament, secure attached
