Bowlby's monotropic theory Flashcards
(10 cards)
what are the features of Bowlby’s monotropic theory
A- adaptive
S- social releases
C- critical period
M- monotropy
I - internal working model
what is meant by saying attachments are adaptive?
this means that they give our species and ‘adaptive advantage’ making us more likely to survive.
This is because if an infant has an attachment to the caregiver, they are kept safe, given food and kept warm
what is the evolutionary theory?
Bowlby put forward an important theory of attachment,
based on the work of the ethologists.
He saw humans as being just like other animals – we need
an INNATE tendency to form attachments with a caregiver.
This tendency gives us an ADAPTIVE ADVANTAGE, i.e.,
makes it more likely that we will survive. eg rooting reflex
He adopted the idea of a CRITICAL PERIOD from ethologists
like Lorenz, and applied this to his explanation of how
human infants form their attachments.
what is the evolutionary theory? biology
Evolution is the process whereby USEFUL FEATURES
are introduced into a species.
Features are useful if they help the animal SURVIVE
long enough to successfully REPRODUCE.
To survive and reproduce, animals need to be WELL
ADAPTED to their environment.
For this reason, useful features are said to be
ADAPTIVE.
what is meant by the term social releasers
social releasers which unlock the innate tendency of adults to care for them
social releasers can be either behavioural or physical
physical - the typical baby face features ‘ big eyes’
behavioural - crying cooing
critical period
babies have to form the attachment with their caregiver during a critical period
this is between birth and 2.5 years old
Bowlby said that if this didn’t happen, the
child would be damaged for life – socially,
emotionally, intellectually, and physically
monotropy
Bowlby believed that infants form one
very special attachment with their
mother.
This special, intense attachment is called
Monotropy.
If the mother isn’t available, the infant could
bond with another ever-present, adult,
mother-substitute.d
what is meant by internal working model
through the monotropic attachment, the infant would form an internal working model which is a mental scheme for relationships and all the chiilds future adult relationships will be based on this
evaluation for bowlbys montotropic theory
hazan and shaver
- people with more secure attachment types had more balanced and longer lasting romantic relationships
and harlows research in the long lasting effect of monkeys
(evidence for the internal working model)
-schaffer and emerson found multiple attachments at 18 months (monotopy?)
learning theory states rthat attachment is formed on the basis of cupboard love instead of evolutionary
Rutter- critical period can be reversed romanian orphan studies
