multiple attachments

Question 1

AO1

Answer 1

It is not disputed that most children form multiple attachments with several people, what is disputed is the relative importance of these different attachment figures.
Bowlby suggested that a single, primary attachment relationship (monotropy) is vital for the healthy psychological development of a child. He also emphasised the role of the mother.
However, Bowlby is a product of his time (1950s), when childcare really was a mother’s role.
Schaffer thought that babies are capable of multiple attachments. He found that many babies he studied had multiple attachments by 10 months old, including mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings.
Goossens and Van Ijzendoorn also believed that babies are capable of forming multiple attachments, and this occurs from birth.
75 Dutch babies and their mothers, fathers & childcare professionals took part in the study. At 12 months, most children had formed attachments to their mother, father & childcare professional.

Question 2

AO3 - Van Ijzendoorn

Answer 2

Goossens and Van Ijzendoorn’s study into multiple attachments used a very small sample size (75 families). Therefore, it has low population validity and the findings cannot be generalised to the wider population due to not being conducted on enough people.

Question 3

AO3 - evolutionary advantage

Answer 3

There is an evolutionary advantage to multiple attachments. If a child loses an attachment figure, then another is able to take its place.