6. bowlbys monotropy theory

• what is bowlbys theory of attachment?

  the idea that children are born with an innate (instinctively) tendency to form attachments with their parents in order to increase chances of survival
• Bowlby's monotropic theory


  adaptive

  social releasers

  critical period

  monotropy

  internal working model
• adaptive


  attachments are adaptive (give humans an advantage) making them more likely to survive as they are kept safe, given warmth and food by caregiver
• social releasers


  Bowlby suggested that babies are born with a set of innate cute behaviours like smiling that unlocks tendency in adults to care for them

  
  

  social releasers:

  - physical - baby face features (big eyes and button nose)

  - behavioural - crying, cooing and smiling to get attention
• critical period


  infants must form an attachment during the critical period which is between 3-6 months

  
  

  bowlbys acknowledged that infants can form attachments after this period (up to 3 years) but successful attachment would be increasingly difficult after this initial period

  
  

  if not formed within this time frame the child would be damaged for life socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically
• monotropy


  bowlbys believed that infants form one very special attachment with primary caregiver (most likely the mother) - monotropy

  
  

  
  

  if mother is not present the infant will bond to another adult (mother substitute)
• internal working model

  if a child has a strong and healthy attachment with their primary caregiver then they will develop strong and healthy relationships later in life

  
  

  if relationship was negative with primary attachment caregiver then the child will have negative social and romantic relationships later in life
• evaluation - strengths

  - there's supporting evidence: lorenz supported critical period and attachment being an innate process - based on biological processes not through learning , critical period for geese is 12-17 hours

  
  

  - Harlow supports the internal working model - baby monkeys with insecure attachments with mothers became insecure mothers themselves when they grew up
• evaluation - weaknesses

  - theory has negative implications for working mothers (social sensitivity)

  
  

  - cupboard love: alternative explanation of attachment that the environment not biology creates attachment

  
  

  - lorenz: lacks external validity/ generalisability as the study focuses on geese not human attachment - they're different in evolutionary terms

  
  

  - kagan 1984: a child's personality affects how a child forms relationships whether they're securely or insecurely attached

  
  

  - lacks temporal validity as there's alpha bias as it suggests that women should be the primary care giver and the father should provide. in modern society men are expected to do an equal amount of childcare compared to women