monotropic theory Flashcards
(15 cards)
what did bowlby reject
learning theory as explanation for attachment and considered the work of lorenz and harlow to propose an evolution explanation
what did bowlby argue about attachment
children are born with an innate tendency to form attachments with their parents in order to increase chances of survival
how did attachment evolve
attachment evolved like imprinting as a mechanism to keep young animals safe by ensuring they stay close to their caregivers
what does bowlby suggest about attachment
attachment is a vital adaptive quality which evolved to increase the chances of survival through proximity seeking behaviour.
why are babies highly dependent
as babies are born in an early stage of development they are highly dependent on their parents due to requiring constant care, meaning the infant would benefit from a biological mechanism that could keep the parent close to them
how does attachment exist in people
attachment is mutually innate in both infants and adults. infants use social releasers to promote interaction such as smiling or eye contact to encourage caregiver reactions
why do social releasers need to be innate
social releasers need to be innate to ensure infants can maintain close contact with their parents
how do parents offer adaptive advantages to infants
parents need to be equally receptive to these innate cues the infants display
what is the law of continuity
the more constant and predictable a child’s care the better the quality of their attachment is.
what is the law of accumulated seperation
the effects of every seperation from your mother adds up
what is monotropy
a child has an innate need to attach to one main attachment figure. suggesting one relationship is more important than the rest. bowlby did not rule out other attachment possibilities but believed there should be a primary bond more important than the others (usually the mother)
what might be the hierarchy of an infant’s attachment
top - mother
beneath in order - father, siblings, grandparents
what does bowlby suggest about a critical period
a child should receive continuous care of this single most important attachment figure for approximately first 2 and a half years of its life suggesting there is a critical period of developing an attachment, if it doesnt develop in this time it may never develop
what does bowlby suggest about an internal working model
child’s relationship with primary caregiver provides an internal working model which influences later relationships. it is a cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding the world, self and others.
a person’s interactions with others is guided by memories and expectations from their internal model which influence and help evaluate their contact with others
what is the continuity hypothesis
our early relationships with our caregivers will predict our later relationships in adulthood
