Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment. (1969). Flashcards
Learn about Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment. (1969).
What was Bowlby background, his view point of attachement?
Classically trained psychoanalyst but disagreed with cupboard love theories.
He took a ethological (instinct) and information processing (critical period) approach.
What sparked Bowlby’s Theory?
Y Robertson - carer for children.
Noticed children aged 1-3 became more upset at their mothers absence than younger children did.
This conflicted with psychoanalytic theory.
Robertson consulted Bowlby about their observations.
How did Bowlby explain the difference in distress according to children ages?
Decided their must be an instinct for maintaining proximity to the caregiver - an attachment instinct.
What characteristic according to Bowlby must an instinct have?
(hint, there is four)
- Must appear in all members of a species.
- It must be a predictable, complex and integrated sequence of behaviour which is goal driven.
- It should appear is some altered or muted form even when opportunities for expression is absent.
- It should have obvious survival value.
What is the ‘sensitive period’?
Sensitive period = period when instinct emerges, without being active prior to then.
-explains age related behavior Robertson observed.
From an ‘information processing’ perspective, how is an instinct explained?
What characteristic does it have?
(hint, there’s 3).
An instinct is a built in control system of behaviour.
It has these characteristics:
- They are purposive.
- They obtain feedback as to the effects of their actions upon reaching their goals.
- They correct their actions with the feedback received, so they can keep moving towards their goal and switch the control system on or off.
Therefore, control systems have a stopping and starting mechanism for goal directed actions.
When does the attachement instinct manifest?
At about 1 year - when the child acquires object permenance.
The active period of the instinct ends at about 3 years with movement and communication competence.
How does the ‘attachement instinct’ work from an information processing perspective?
Attachment instinct is to seek and maintain or control contact with attachement figure.
Anxiety is the starting and stopping mechanism.
Child feels anxious -> seek proximity to caregiver.
When disruption to proximity occurs, anxiety increases. This increases attempts to seek proximity.
When attachement figure returns, the child makes contact and is comforted.
This lessens anxiety and switches off drive to seek proximity.
Is summary:
The system directs behaviour towards the GOAL of proximity or contact in presence of anxiety, reacts to feedback, so when anxiety is lessened the system turns off.
What is secure base behaviour?
When attachment system is switched off due to proximity of attachment figure, another system is switched on. This is usually the exploratory instinct - begin exploring the environment, returning to attachment figure for comfort when anxious again, and then continuing to explore once attachement system switches off again.
How’s does attachement system apply to instinct characteristic criteria?
- Predictable pattern of behaviour shown with secure base and exploratory system.
- It appears common to all members of the species. Believed so by Bowlby and supported by numerous studies.
- Survival aspect - protects infant from harm. Adults have innate tendencies to form attavenets with offspring. To meet their needs, infants use SOCIAL RELEASERS to attract the attention of others. These are actions such as crying smiling and clinging.
- Exist in a muted altered form when absent of opportunities to express itself - Bowlby claimed this was shown with continued approaches by abused towards their parents.
Explain Bowlby’s proposal of ‘monotropy’ and its relationship to an ‘internal working model’ and schema.
Monotropy - primary attachment towards one person.
This relationship with the primary caregiver provides an internal working model for further relationships.
This provides a schema, a reference based on experiences of this relationship to base how to behave concerning other relationships.
