Bowlby's monotropic theory - (explanations of attachment)

• Bowlby's monotropic theory believes attachments between infant and the caregiver are innate

  • theories like imprinting and attachment evolved because they ensured young animals were close to caregivers thus protected from hazards
• Bowlby believed infants were born with social releasers

  • social releasers are innate 'cute' behaviours e.g. smiling, crying or features e.g. big eyes
  • the purpose of social releasers is to activate social interaction so attachment can be formed via reciprocal behaviour
• Bowlby proposed a critical period of 2-3 years

  • if an attachment isn't formed within this time, infants will find it harder to form attachments in the future
• Bowlby also argued that infants form a monotropic relationship with primary attachment figure

  • the more time spent with the primary attachment figure, the better
• impact of monotropic figure

  • law of continuity: more consistent the infant's care, the better quality of attachment
  • law of accumulated separation: effects of separation add up; 'safest dose is zero dose'
• internal working model: relationship with primary attachment forms a 'template' for what all relationships are like

  • child with loving relationship with reliable caregiver = expectation all relationships are loving and reliable
  • child with poor treatment = expectation of poor treatment from others

  may also affect the infants later ability to parent
• AO3: weakness - socially sensitive - suggest that working mothers may negatively affect their child's emotional development + gives mother blame for future behaviour

  CA: Bowlby's theory doesn't require a female to be the 'monotropic figure'
• AO3: weakness - ignores learning theory