Bowls monotropic theory

• What is Bowlby’s theory ?


  Reflected learning theory + looked at animal studies and proposed an evolutionary explanation focussing on innate behaviour
• What did Bolwby believe ?

  attachment behaviours are pre programmed in our genes to provide an adaptive advantage to increase survival
• What is the acronym 


  A snap chat makes images
• What are the 5 parts of the theory ?

  1. Adaptive
  2. social releases
  3. critical period
  4. monotropy
  5. internal working model
• What is adaptive ?

  • give an adaptive advantage increases chance of survival
  • if an infant has an attachment to a caregiver they have food,warmth + kept safe
• What are social releases ?

  • unlock innate tendency of adults to care

  - physical : baby face features + body proportions

  behavioural: crying + cooing

  • bowling recognised attachment is a reciprocal process
  • both baby and mother have an innate predisposition to become attached
• What is critical period ?

  • must form an attachment within 2 and a half years
  • if this attachment is broken or disrupted within this time child will suffer from long term consequences

  - cognitive, emotional, social difficulties e.g reduced IQ + increase aggression

  • more of a ‘sensitivity’ period
  • child will find it hard to form attachments after this time
• What is monotropy ?

  • one special attachment with the mother
  • develop others attachments after this one
  • if mother not available child can attach to another suitable figure
• What is the internal working model ?

  • occurs through monotrooic attachment
  • mental schema for relationships
  • all adult relationships based off of this
  • first experience is loving/ reliable will then have an expectation of this in all future relationships + bring these qualties nice Versa
  • affects child’s ability to parents themselves as they base their parenting technique on their own experience as a child
• Evaluation ?

  1. Monotropy challenged
  2. social releases
  3. deterministic
• How was monotropy challenged ?

  • Schaffer + Emerson
  • babies also able to form multiple attachments at the same time
• Social releases

  • brazelton et al
  • mothers + babies interactions
  • international sunchrony
• Deterministic ?

  • not all who grow up in a happy childhood grow up to have completely happy relationships