Explanations of attachment: Bowlby's theory

Question 1

What are the 5 components of Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

Answer 1

Adaptive, social releasers, critical period, monotropy + internal working model

Question 2

Why do attachments form according to Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

Answer 2

Because it promotes the infant’s survival (this would be very important in our evolutionary past)

Question 3

What are social releasers?

Answer 3

Behaviours or characteristics that elicit caregiving and lead to an attachment

Question 4

Give an example of behavioural social releasers.

Answer 4

Crying

Question 5

Give an example of physical social releasers?

Answer 5

Button nose

Question 6

What is the critical period according to Bowlby?

Answer 6

3-6 months

Question 7

What happens if children don’t form an attachment in the critical period according to Bowlby?

Answer 7

They develop abnormally

Question 8

What is monotropy?

Answer 8

The idea that an infant forms one very strong emotional attachment with their primary caregiver

Question 9

What is the internal working model?

Answer 9

A mental model of the world which enables infants to predict and understand relationships

Question 10

How does the IWM impact infants in the short term?

Answer 10

It gives the infant insight into the caregiver’s behaviour

Question 11

How does the IWM impact infants in the long term?

Answer 11

It acts as a template for romantic and platonic relationships

Question 12

What is the continuity hypothesis?

Answer 12

It suggests that infants with secure attachments in their childhood continue to be socially + emotionally competent in adulthood, and those who are insecurely attached grow up to be socially and emotionally abnormal

Question 13

What are the 4 AO3 points of Bowlby’s monotropic theory?

Answer 13

1) Support for adaptive nature
2) Criticisms of critical period
3) Support for IWM
4) Criticisms of monotropy

Question 14

Why do human infants form attachments between the ages of 3-6 months and not at birth?

Answer 14

When human infants begin crawling (around 6 months) attachment is vital to prevent harm

Question 15

Why do monkey infants form attachments very quickly?

Answer 15

They cling to mothers to survive

Question 16

What has the critical period been renamed?

Answer 16

The sensitive period

Question 17

Who criticised Bowlby’s theory of a critical period?

Answer 17

Rutter

Question 18

What did Rutter find that disproved Bowlby’s concept of a critical period?

Answer 18

Although the chance of developing an attachment after the critical period is decreased, it is not impossible

Question 19

What did Rutter suggest the sensitive period was?

Answer 19

0-2.5 years

Question 20

Which study supports the continuity hypothesis?

Answer 20

The Minnesota parent-child study

Question 21

What did the Minnesota parent-child study find?

Answer 21

Continuity between early childhood attachment and later social/emotional behaviour

Question 22

In the Minnesota parent-child study, what did securely attached infants grow up to be?

Answer 22

Highest rated for social competence, less isolated, more popular + more empathetic

Question 23

Whose research disproves the concept of monotropy?

Answer 23

Schaffer and Emerson

Question 24

How does Schaffer and Emerson’s research disprove monotropy?

Answer 24

They found that within one month of forming the first attachment, 29% of infants had a further attachment, and this rose to 78% within 6 months