bowlby’s theory

Question 1

monotropy

Answer 1

one particular attachment is different from all others - central importance to a child’s development

mother / primary attachment figure

law of continuity - more constant and predictable a child’s care, the better quality of attachment

law of accumulated separation - effects of every separation from mother add up and safest dose is zero

Question 2

critical period

Answer 2

time within which an attachment must form if it is to form at all

Bowlby - human babies have a sensitive period

Question 3

internal working model

Answer 3

our mental representations of the world

model affects our future relationships because it carries our perception of what a relationship is like

maximally sensitive at 6 months until 2 years

Question 4

social releasers

Answer 4

innate cute behaviours

active adult social interaction so adult forms attachment

Question 5

validity of monotropy challenged

Answer 5

P - limited as concept of monotropy lacks validity
E - Schaffer and Emerson - some form multiple attachments at same time
E - first attachment has strong influence but not necessarily different in quality
L - bowlby may be incorrect that there is a unique quality and importance

Question 6

support for social releasers

Answer 6

P - strength as support evidence for social releasers
E - babies trigger interactions using social releasers - researchers got primary attachment figure to ignore the baby
E - baby showed distress and lay motionless
L - role of social releasers in emotional development shows importance in attachment development

Question 7

support for internal working model

Answer 7

P - strength as research support for internal working model
E - research assessed attachment relationships in mothers and babies and measured to mothers’ own attachment
E - found mothers with poor attachment were more likely to have poorly attached babies
L - supports idea that mother’s ability to form attachment influenced by internal working model

P - however other influences on social development
E - eg genetic differences in anxiety and sociability
E - these can impact baby and adults eg parenting ability
L - bowlby may have overstated the importance of the internal working model