Monotropic theory

• What did Bowlby do with the learning theory?

  -> Rejected the Learning Theory
• How did he elaborate Lorenz/Harlow's Explanation?

  -> Evolutionary Evaluation

  >> see Attachment as an innate system - a survival advantage

  ->> Imprinting/Attachment made as young stay close to CG to protect them from hazards
• What does Monotropy emphasise on?

  -> a child's attachment to ONE particular Caregiver

  >> seen as different and more important than other attachments
• What were the 2 principles?

  -> Law of Continuity - the more constant and predictable a child's care is, the better the quality of Attachment

  -> Law of Accumulated separation - the effects of every time we're separated from the mother added up - "safest does is zero dose"
• What do we call the ONE particular CG?

  -> the "mother" - not necessarily the biological mother

  -> the more time spent with the "mother" the better
• What are social releasers?

  -> innate 'cute' behaviours that baby's possess - smiling/cooing etc

  >> activates adults attachment systems
• Why is attachment seen as a reciprocal process?

  -> both have innate predisposition - to become attached

  >> that social releasers trigger the response in adults
• What is the critical period for Babies?

  -> at 2 years of age - when infants attachment system is active
• Why is it seen as a sensitive period than critical period?

  -> age 2 is where babies are at maximum sensitivity

  >> if attachment is not formed then - it will be harder to form one at a later age
• What is the Internal Working Model to Bowlby?

  -> the child's mental representation of a relationship with their Primary CG

  >> serves as a model to what their relationship will be like
• What effect does the IWM have on the child's future relationship?

  -> a good loving relationship with a CG - reflect on all future relationships to be loving and reliable

  -> a poor relationship with a CG - reflects on all future relationships to be poor and expect to be treated OR treat others as such
• How does IWM affect child's parenting abilities?

  -> Will base their parenting behaviour on their own experience being parented themselves

  >> explains why children from functional families have families similar themselves
• STRENGTH - research support IWM

  -> Bailey et al - tested if IWM can predict A. patterns passed through generations

  >> Measured mothers Attachment with their Primary CG - interview

  >> Measured A. quality with their babies - observation

  -> Mothers with poor A. with their P.CG, more likely to have poorly A. babies

  • support b. idea - mothers ability to form A. with baby is influenced by IWM
• LIMITATION - unclear evidence

  -> Bowlby believed 1st A. is unique and different & only after can multiple A. form

  >> Schaffer & Emerson found babies do attach to 1 person, some others formed to multiple at same time

  • Unclear if 1st A. is unique - can have strong influence when older - could just mean the A. is stronger than different in quality to other attachments