Bowlby's monotropic theory ATM

Question 1

monotropic

Answer 1

mono means one and tropic means leaning towards

Question 2

critical period

Answer 2

the time in which an attachment must form if it’s going to form at all

Question 3

internal working model

Answer 3

our mental representations of the world

Question 4

monotropy

Answer 4

Bowlby’s theory is described as monotropic because he emphasises an attachment to a soul caregiver, which is different to any other attachments. This person was identified as the ‘mother’ but this did not mean that it had to be its mum. The more time spent with the primary attachment figure the better. He used 2 principles to clarify this:
* Law of continuity → the more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better quality of attachment
* Law of accumulated separation → effects of separation add up and ‘the safest dose is a zero dose’

Question 5

social releasers and the critical period

Answer 5

Babies are born with innate ‘cute’ behaviours (cooing, smiling, etc) to get attention from adults. Bowlby called these social releasers as their intention is to interact with adults and form an attachment. This process is reciprocal and both ‘mother’ and baby are hard-wired to attach.

Beginning in the early weeks of life, interplay between adult and baby attachment builds their relationship. The critical period proposed by Bowlby is 6 months old and he viewed it as more of a sensitive period.

Question 6

internal working model

Answer 6

Children form mental representations of their relationships with their primary attachment figure → internal working model (model for what relationships are like)

If a child’s first experience is a loving one then they will carry the expectation that all relationships are like that and vice versa.

The internal working model may affect the child’s later ability to be a parent themselves as people tend to base their parenting behaviour on their experiences.

Question 7

Support for social releasers

strength

Answer 7

Evidence supporting the role of social releasers
* Cute baby behaviours are designed to elicit a response
* **Brazelton et al **observed babies trigger interactions with caregivers
* He then made the primary attachment figure ignore the social releasers
* Babies became distressed and then motionless
Role of social releasers in emotional development suggest that they are important in the process of attachment development

Question 8

validity of monotropy challenged

limitation

Answer 8

Theory lacks validity
* Schaffer and Emerson found significant minority formed multiple attachments at same time
* The first attachment may just be stronger and not different to other attachments
* Eg attachment to other family members have the same key qualities
Bowlby may be wrong that there is unique quality in the child’s primary attachment.

Question 9

support for internal working model and counterpoint

strength + limitation

Answer 9

Support for how it predicts patterns of attachment
* **Bailey et al **assessed attachment in 99 others and their 1 year old babies
* Measured mothers attachments to their own primary attachment figures
* Assessed attachment quality of babies
* Mothers with poor attachment to their primary attachment figure had poorer attachment with their babies
Mothers’ abilities to form attachment to their babies is influenced by their internal working models.

BUT
* Other important influences on social development
* Eg genetic differences in anxiety and sociability affect social behaviour
Could impact parenting ability, Kornienko
Overstated the importance of the internal working model