Bowlbys monotropic theory

• Elements of Bowlbys monotropic theory:

  > Adaptive

  > Social releasers

  > Critical period

  > Monotropy

  > Internal working model
• Adaptive

  > Bowlby suggests attachment is an innate system

  > It is inherited to improve survival therefore it is adaptive

  > Bowlby suggests infants are born 'programmed' to attach and parents are also 'programmed' to attach
• Social releasers

  > Infants are born with social releasers such as crying, smiling or looking 'cute'

  > This triggers a response in a caregiver and ensures interaction takes place to form an attachment
• Critical period

  > Bowlby proposed a critical period for attachment in an infant to take place, this is a biological period

  > If an attachment does not take place during the set developmental period of the first 2.5 years of life - then an attachment may not take place at all
• Monotropy

  > Bowlby’s theory is described as ‘monotropic’ because he placed great emphasis on a child’s attachment to one caregiver

  > He believed this is the most important attachment in the childs development - he called this person the mother but said it didnt need to be the biological mother

  > The law of continuity suggests the quality of a childs attachment will be better if they receive consistent and predictable care
• Internal working model

  > a mental representation that the child forms of their relationship with their primary caregiver

  > Serves as a model for what relationships are like.

  > A child uses their attachment relationship with their caregiver to build an expectation of what future relationships will be like

  > It therefore has a powerful impact on the child’s future relationships. Future relationships mirror childhood attachments.

  > Bowlby believes that Internal Working Models are passed on from one generation to the next, people base their parenting on their own experiences of being parented
• Monotropic theory AO3

  :) RTS Lorenz

  > found a critical period of 12-17 hours in which imprinting had to take place otherwise it would not later. This supports Bowlby’s concept of a critical period

  > that infants must attach within the first 2.5 years of life otherwise it would be difficult to form attachments later

  > therefore strengthening Bowlby’s monotropic theory of attachment
• Monotropic theory AO3

  :) RTS Hazan and Shaver

  > created the 'love quiz'

  > They found that securely attached children had happy and long-lasting relationships in later life whereas insecurely attached children found it hard to form relationships and many were divorced

  > Supports IWM as early infant attachments acted as a template for future relationships
• Monotropic theory AO3

  :( RTC Schaffer and Emerson

  > Children have multiple attachments

  > Multiple attachments may help children to develop socially, emotionally and cognitively

  > Contradicts the monotropy proposed by Bowlby and the idea that infants have one attachment, thus limiting his Monotropic Theory of attachment