Explanations of Attachment

Question 1

What is Bowlby’s monotropic theory (monotropy)

Answer 1

That infants form one special, primary attachment, usually with their mother, which is more important than other attachments

Question 2

What’s the internal working model?

Answer 2

A mental framework that a child forms of relationships based on their own relationship with their primary caregiver

Question 3

What’s the law of continuity?

Answer 3

The more consistent and predictable a child’s care is, the better the quality of attachment

Question 4

What are social releasers?

Answer 4

Babies innate, cute behaviours that encourage attention from adults

Question 5

Whats the critical period?

Answer 5

Around 6 months. Bowlby viewed it as more of a Sensitive Period, which extends to up to 2yrs.

Question 6

What is the Learning theory?

Answer 6

It proposes that attachments form through classical and operant conditioning

Question 7

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 7

Learning through association.

Food served as an unconditioned stimulus. The pleasure from that food is the unconditioned response.

The caregiver serves as a neutral stimulus and produces a neutral response. When the same person provides food over time, they become associated with it, so when a baby sees that person, they immediately expect food.

The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus. After conditioning, the sight of the caregiver elicits a conditioned response, aka, pleasure/love