Explanations of attachment: Bowlby's Theory

Question 1

What does Bowlby’s theory suggest?

Answer 1

Attachments are innate systems that increases chance of survival.

Question 2

What did Bowlby believe?

What is monotropy?

Answer 2

• Bowlby believed that infants form one very special attachment with their primary caregiver, typically their mother. -called monotropy.
• more important than other attachments.
• More time spent with primary caregiver, the better the attachment

Question 3

What did Bowlby sugguest?

What are social releasers?

Answer 3

• A set of innate behaviours, which unlock an innate tendacy in adults to care for them.
• e.g. smiling, crying, cooing to get attention.
• Babies are born with them.
• Activate adult social interaction to allow attachment.

Question 4

What is the critical period and why is it important?

Answer 4

• A period where infants must form attachments within around 6 months.
• If attachment is not formed around this:
• Child would be socially, emotionaly, intellectually and physically stunted.

Question 5

Why are attachments described as adaptive.

Answer 5

• An infant in an attachment is kept safe, warm and fed.
• Increase chances of survival

Question 6

What are the evaluations of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 6

• Supporting research evidence for critical period.
• supporting research evidence for social releasers.
• monotropy lacks validity

Question 6

Evaluation: Monotropy lacks validity

Answer 6

• Limitation: monotropy lacks validity.
• Schaffer and Emerson found that although babies attached to one person at first,
• a small minority formed multiple attachments at the same time.
• Supported by lack of monotropy in collectivist cultures
• Where multiple caregivers are involved in raising child. - challenge idea of a single primary caregiver.
• Theory has low validity - across different cultures and is onlya limited explanation for some cases of attachment.

Question 7

Evaluation: Supporting research evidence for social releasers

Answer 7

• Strength: Supporting research evidence for social releasers.
• Brazelton observed babies trigger interactions with adults using social releasers.
• Researchers told PCG to ignore babies’ social releasers
• Babies became increasingly distressed and wanted attention.
• Role of social releasers in emotional development is important in attachment.

Question 8

Evaluation: Supporting research evidence for critical period.

Answer 8

• Strength: Supporting research evidence for critical period.
• Lorenz animal studies research: Upon hatching baby geese followed the first moving object they saw, during a 12-17 hour critical peiod.
• Process known as imprinting.
• If it doesnt occur within the critical period, chicks would not attach themselves to mother figure.
• Lead to them struggling to devleop social behaviour and attachments in future.
• Role of the critical period is imporant in attachment.

Question 9

What is the internal working model?

Answer 9

• A mental representation of the child’s relationship, with their primary caregiver, for future relationship expectations.
• e.g. child with strong and healthy attachment with their primary caregiver, will develop strong and healthy relationships in the future.
• Bring qualities to future relationships
• People base their parenting behaviour on their own experiences of being parented.