explanations of attachment: bowlby's monotropic theory Flashcards
(15 cards)
What does the term monotropic mean?
It indicates that one particular attachment is different from all others and of central importance to the child’s development.
What are Internal working models?
Internal working models: the mental representations we all carry with us for our attachment to our primary caregiver. They are important in affecting our perception of what relationships are like.
What is the Critical period?
Critical period: this refers to the time frame of which an attachment must
form if it is to form at all. Bowlby proposed that humans have a sensitive
period, after this time has passed it will be difficult to form any attachments.
What does adaptation refer to within the monotropic theory?
Bowlby (1969) suggests that attachment is a vital adaptive quality that has evolved to increase the chance of survival through proximity-seeking behaviour. This is activated by anything that might threaten the offspring such as separation, insecurity or fear.
What does Social Releasers refer to within the monotropic theory?
Babies are born with the tendency to display certain innate behaviours (called social releases), which help ensure proximity and contact with the mother or attachment figure (crying, smiling, crawling, etc.) – these are species-specific behaviours.
These behaviours share the same function: to unlock an innate tendency
in adults (in particular mothers) to care for them. Bowlby recognised that
attachment is a reciprocal system.
What are the two types of Social Releasers?
Physical- the typical ‘baby face’ features that make babies appear cute such as big eyes and button noses.
Behavioural- crying, cooing and smiling to get attention.
What is the research support for Social releasers?
P: A strength is that there is clear evidence to support the existence and value of social releasers.
E: Brazelton et al (1975) instructed primary attachment figures to ignore their babies’ social releases (cute infant behaviour). Babies, who were previously shown to be normally responsive, initially showed some distress, but eventually some curled up and laid motionless.
C: Therefore, this supports Bowlby’s ideas about the significance of infant social behaviour eliciting care-giving from adults.
What does the Critical period refer to within the monotropic theory?
Bowlby suggested that the successful formation of an attachment would be increasingly difficult after this initial period.
If an attachment did not form during this time frame, the child would be damaged for life: socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.
What does a sensitive period refer to?
Bowlby suggested that a child is sensitive at the age of two, but if an attachment is not formed at this time it doesn’t necessarily mean they never will – it just means that they may find it harder to form an attachment later.
What does the monotropic stage refer to within the monotropic theory?
Bowlby’s theory is described as monotropic because of the emphasis of the child’s attachment to one caregiver (mono = ‘one’ and tropic = ‘leaning towards’).
This attachment is different from others and more important. Bowlby argues that the relationship with the mother is somehow different altogether from other relationships.
Bowlby called this person the mother but was clear that it may not be the biological mother.
What is the Law of continuity
The more constant a child’s care, the better the quality of attachment.
What is the Law of accumulated separation?
The effects of every separation add up.
‘the safest dose is therefore a zero dose.’
What is a limitation of monotropy?
P: A limitation is that the monotropic theory may be socially sensitive to a mother’s life style.
E: Feminists (Burman 1994) argue that mothers are to blame for anything that goes wrong with a child’s life and pushes mothers into making life style choices, such as not returning to work due to the pressure of being held responsible for their child’s development.
C: However, this was not Bowlby’s intention. He saw himself as boosting the status of mothers by emphasising the importance of their role.
What does the Internal working mdoel refer to within the monotropic theory?
Bowlby suggested that a child’s attachment relationship with their primary caregiver leads to the development of an internal working model (IWM).
This is a cognitive framework that includes mental representations for understanding the world, self and others.
What research support is there for the Internal working model?
P: A further strength is that there is support for the idea of an internal working model.
E: Bailey et al (2007) studied 99 mothers; those with poor attachment to their own parents were more likely to have one-year-olds who were poorly attached.
C: This supports Bowlby’s idea of an internal working model of attachment as it is being passed through families.
