Bowlby's Theory

• What type of theory does Bowlby propose?

  Evolutionary explanation where attachment is an innate system for survival.
• Evolutionary psychology

  Form of the biological approach and says we act in a certain way because it helped us to survive.
• Bowlby's Theory

  The more time spent with the primary attachment figure, the better. Similarly time spent apart presents challenges.
• Law of continuity


  The more constant and predictable the child's care, the better quality the attachment.
• Law of accumulated separation


  Everytime mother and baby are separated, the effects add up. So the safest amount of separation is none.
• Social Releasers


  Innate 'cute' behaviours infants are born with which activate the adult attachment systems. A baby uses these to 'train' a caregiver to feel love towards the baby.
• Monotropic


  The idea that there is one particular attachment which is distinct and central to the child's development.
• What happens if first attachment isn't formed?


  Bowlby said the critical period was 2 years, at if it doesn't form it may not form at all. Continued disruption can cause developmental and cognitive problems.
• Internal Working Model


  Our early attachments shape how we form attachments in our later life, and are commonly mirrored. So if you have a strong childhood attachment, we will have strong future attachments, and vice versa. Bowlby says this particularly affects parenting styles.
• Hazan and Shaver


  'Love Quiz' - questionnaire to test people's attachment. The data was correlated with assessments of the participants' parental attachments, and shows support for Bowlby's theory.
• Bowlby's Theory: Strength


  Bailey et al found that in their research of 99 mothers, those with poor attachments to their parents were more likely to have children who were poorly attached, providing support for the Internal Working Model.
• Bowlby's Theory: Weakness


  Schaffer and Emerson found that infants can form multiple primary attachments (27% in their study) which challenges the idea of monotropy.