AO1 - Critical Period

• Bowlby suggests that there is a critical period for developing at attachment (about 0 - 2.5 years).
• Bowlby claimed that if an attachment did not happen in the critical period, then it may well not happen at all.
• Bowlby suggested that social releasers, which are innate cues that babies give to caregivers, activate interactions during the first few months.
• Bowlby recognised that attachment was a reciprocal process.
• Bowlby later extended the critical period to become a sensitive period up to age 5 or 6.
• Bowlby argued that a break in the bond during the critical period would have long-term detrimental effects on the child.
• Bowlby argued that a break in the bond during the critical period could lead to irreversible psychological damage for the child.
• Bowlby claimed that a secure bond must develop in the first 2.5 years of a child's life. If not, it will result in long-lasting negative social consequences.