Explanations of attachment: Bowlby’s theory

• What is Bowlby's belief about infant attachment?

  Babies form one special attachment first
• What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) find about infant attachments?

  Some babies form multiple attachments simultaneously
• What does research suggest about the attachment to mothers versus fathers?

  Attachment to mothers predicts later behavior
• What might the significance of attachment to the primary caregiver imply?

  It may indicate stronger attachment quality
• What evidence supports the role of social releasers in attachment?

  Infant behaviors initiate social interaction
• What did Brazleton et al. (1975) observe in their study?

  Interactional synchrony between mothers and babies
• What was the outcome when primary attachment figures ignored babies' signals?

  Babies showed distress and curled up
• What does Bailey et al. (2007) support about internal working models?

  Attachment patterns are passed through generations
• How did Bailey et al. (2007) assess mothers and babies?

  Through interviews and observations
• What did Bailey et al. (2007) find regarding mothers with poor attachments?

  They had children classified as poor attachments
• What are the implications of Bowlby's theory on parenting behavior?

  • Parenting behavior is influenced by attachment experiences
  • Children from functional families replicate similar family structures
  • Poor attachment experiences lead to negative parenting patterns
• How did Mary and John apply attachment theory in their parenting?

  Mary struggled while John successfully interacted
• What is the critical period in Bowlby's attachment theory?

  Time when attachment must form to be effective
• What is the law of continuity in Bowlby's theory?

  Consistent care improves attachment quality
• What does the law of accumulated separation state?

  Every separation from the mother adds up
• What are social releasers according to Bowlby?

  Innate behaviors that encourage adult attention
• What is the reciprocal process in attachment according to Bowlby?

  Both mother and baby predisposed to attachment
• What is the internal working model in Bowlby's theory?

  Mental representation of relationships with caregivers
• How does the internal working model affect future relationships?

  Shapes expectations based on early experiences
• What do children from functional families tend to do?

  Replicate similar family structures
• What criticism do temperament researchers have of Bowlby's theory?

  It over-emphasizes early experiences and attachment
• What is temperament in child development?

  Genetically influenced personality traits
• How do temperament differences affect social behavior?

  They explain variations in social interactions
• What is the implication of Bowlby's theory for mothers?

  It places responsibility for attachment quality on them
• What did feminists like Erica Burman (1994) argue about Bowlby's theory?

  It burdens mothers with responsibility for failures
• What was Bowlby's intention regarding mothers' roles?

  To boost their status by emphasizing importance
• What is the significance of the critical period in attachment?

  It indicates when attachment formation is crucial
• What does Bowlby suggest about the effects of separation from a primary attachment figure?

  It risks poor quality attachment later
• What is the role of social releasers in attachment formation?

  They activate the adult attachment system
• What is the relationship between infant and adult attachment systems?

  They interact to build the caregiver relationship
• What is the sensitive period in Bowlby's attachment theory?

  Time when attachment formation is most effective
• What happens if an attachment is not formed during the sensitive period?

  It becomes harder to form attachments later
• What is the implication of Bowlby's theory for future parenting?

  It influences how individuals parent their children
• What is the significance of the internal working model in relationships?

  It shapes perceptions of future relationships
• How does a loving first relationship affect future relationships?

  It fosters expectations of love and reliability
• How does a poor first relationship affect future relationships?

  It leads to expectations of poor treatment
• What is the impact of a child's early experiences on their parenting?

  It influences their parenting behavior
• What do children from functional families tend to replicate?

  Similar family structures in their own families
• What do temperament researchers argue about Bowlby's emphasis?

  It over-emphasizes early experiences and attachment
• What is the role of temperament in child development?

  It influences social behavior and personality