My notes summarise Bowlby's monotropic theory in attachment efficiently, sometimes offering a simple explanation and sometimes offering a more detailed approach to the subject.
-Bowlby’s monotropic theory:
Evolutionary explanation- Babies have an innate attachment drive to survive, as security
equals survival. Babies will stay close to one carer (usually mother) for safety. Bowlby’s
theory is based on Lorenz’s imprinting and Harlow’s contact comfort theories.
-Monotropy- Unique strong attachment to a single caregiver, usually the mother.
Critical/Sensitive period- For strong attachment to take place, Bowlby suggested that
attachment must happen in the first 2/3 years after birth. If this does not happen it will
result in long lasting negative social consequences. This is based on Lorenz’s work.
Internal working model- The first strong attachment the child has with its mother provides a
blueprint for further relationships. This internal working model acts as a guide on how to
conduct future relationships such as if people can be trusted, or if relationships are loving.
This is based on Freud’s work and Harlow’s theories.
Strength of attachment- Bowlby suggests stronger attachments will form if care is consistent
and weaker attachments will form with frequent/long separations.
Safe base behaviour- Infants with good attachments will use mum as a base to explore their
environment, but will show distress if mum disappears, or if a stranger approaches.
Social releasers- Babies instinctively use signals (crying, smiling) that attract the caregiver's
attention, adults are biologically programmed to find these behaviours cute or distressing.
This is focused on activating the caregiver's attachment.
-Evaluation:
Bowlby’s work is based on work by Lorenz. Imprinting studies on geese demonstrate the
potential strength of attachment to a single caregiver, explained evolutionally by significant
survival advantages. However, these are the findings of an animal study applied to humans.
Bowlby’s theory is criticised as suffering from Beta Bias, a type of gender bias. It can be
claimed that he exaggerated the differences between the role of the father and the mother.
Suggesting the father's role is simply to provide for the family. This lacks temporal validity, in
modern society men are expected to have a much more equal part in the care of their
children. Bowlby’s theory also has negative implications for working mothers.
There are alternate explanations to attachment, behaviourists claim it is the environment,
not biology that creates attachment. The cupboard love theory suggests that attachment is
based on patterns of reinforcement and the association of the mother and the food she
provides. Learning theory is well supported by several well controlled experiments.
The continuity hypothesis suggests the types of relationships we have as adults can be
predicted by the attachment we have as infants due to the internal working model. Highly
deterministic people like to think that they have full conscious control over their own
relationships, including responsibility in the success of relationships and believe that this is
not set in infancy.
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