A01

• What did Bowlby give?

  An evolutionary explanation
• What does Bowlby state?

  Attachment is an innate system that gives a survival advantage
• Why has imprinting and attachment evolved?

  Because they ensure young animals stay close to their caregivers and this protects them from hazards
• What is Bowlby's theory described as?

  Monotropic because of the emphasis on the child's attachment to one caregiver
• What does monotropic mean?

  Mono = one

  Tropic = learning towards
• What is this attachment?

  It's different from others and more important
• What did Bowlby believe?

  That the more time a baby spent with this primary attachment figure/mother figure the better
• What are the 2 main reasons?

  1. Law of continuity - the more constant a child's care the better the quality of attachment
  2. Law of accumulated separation - the effects of every separation add up, so they safest does is therefore the zero doso
• What did Bowlby suggest?

  That babies are born with a set of innate 'cute' behaviours e.g. smiling, cooing that encourage attention from adults
• What is the purpose of these 'cute' behaviours?

  The purpose of these social releasers is to activate the adult attachment system e.g. make an adult feel love towards the baby
• What did Bowlby recognise?

  That attachment is a reciprocal system
• What Bowlby propose?

  That there's a critical period of about 2 years when the infant attachment system is active
• What did he view this more as?

  A sensitive period
• When is a child maximally sensitive up to?

  The age of 2 years
• What will happen if an attachment isn't formed in the time period?

  He or she will find it harder to form one later
• What did Bowlby argue?

  That the child forms a mental representation (IWM) of the relationship with their primary attachment figure
• What does the IWM serve as?

  A template for what relationships are like
• What is an example?

  A child whose first experience is a loving relationship with a reliable caregiver will tend to form an expectation that all relationships are loving and reliable

  However, a child whose first relationship involves poor treatment may expect such treatment from others
• What may the IWM also affect?

  The child's later ability to be a parent themselves