Bowlby's theory of attachment

• what type of attachment explanation is Bowlby's?

  Evolutionary explanation.
• what is evolution?

  the process whereby useful features are introduced into a species. Features are useful if they help the animal survive long enough to successfully reproduce, therefore making attachment adaptive.
• What is Bowlby's theory of attachment called, and what does this mean?

  Monotropic theory of attachment.- Human infants have an innate tendency to form attachments to their primary caregiver, which is most often their mothers.
• what are the 5 main features of Bowlby's theory of attachment?

  Adaptive

  Social releasers

  Critical period

  Monotropy

  Internal working model
• Bowlby's theory - adaptive


  gives animals with the behaviour an adaptive advantage, making them more likely to survive. This is because if an infant has attachment to a caregiver, they are kept safe, warm and given food.
• Bowlby's theory - Social Releasers


  babies have social releasers which are physical and behavioural which 'unlock' the innate tendency of adults to care for them.
• What are some physical social releasers of babies?

  -cute baby face

  -big eyes

  -button nose

  -body proportions
• What are some behavioural social releasers of babies?

  -crying

  -cooing

  -gestures

  -vocalisation
• Bowlby's theory - Critical period

  The critical period is up to 2 1/2 years. If babies did not attach by this age, then the child would be damaged for life, socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.
• Bowlby's theory - Monotropy

  Infants have one very special attachment to their mothers, which is qualitatively different to other attachments.
• what is the quote related to monotropy?

  "mothers love in infancy is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health."
• Bowlby's theory - Internal working model

  Monotopic attachment provides a model template for all of the child's future relationships, they will be based on the relationship with their primary attachment figure.
• How do Schaffer and Emerson show criticism to Bowlby?

  - for a 1/3 of infants, the mother was not the sole primary attachment figure.

  - 27% infants formed a joint attachment with the mother and father.

  - infants form multiple attachments from around 8+ months.

  CRITICISM TO MONOTROPY.
• How does Bailey et al support Bowlby?


  -studied 99 mothers with their attachment to their 1 year old infants as well as the attachment to their own mothers.

  - Mothers who reported poor attachment with their own mother were more likely to have infants rated as poorly attached by the researchers based on observations.

  SUPPORTS INTERNAL WORKING MODEL
• How does Tronick support Bowlby?

  - showed that babies actively elicit care-taking behaviour from their mothers in the still face experiment. Parents wanted to comfort and respond to their infant.

  SUPPORTS SOCIAL RELEASERS
• How does Rutter criticise Bowlby?

  - Found whilst it was more difficult, it was not impossible for babies to attach after the age of 2 1/2. Showing Bowlby was too strict with his time frame.

  CRITCISES CRITICAL PERIOD.

  However, do believe these years are important for forming attachments.