Bowlby’s monotropic theory

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  • Bowlby’s monotropic theory
    • Monotropy
      • One main singular attachment to a mother figure which is more important than all other attachments
        • Law of continuity: states that it is important for the care of a child to be consistent and constant as this forms the strongest attachments
        • Law of accumulated separation: states that the effects of separation from a mother figure add up and cause developmental issues
    • Social releases
      • Social releasers are innate behaviours which a baby has which causes an attachment to grow
        • Smiling and cooing
        • Crying
        • Gripping
    • Internal working model
      • The internal working model is a schematic framework which develops based on the attachment style experienced in the critical period
        • When the IWM is positive, future relationships for that individual are more likely to be positive and based on the strong and loving attachments experienced in childhood
        • When the IWm is negative, future relationships for that individual are likely to be negative and based on the weak and potentially abuse I’ve attachments experienced in childhood
    • Critical period
      • Critical period is the time which an attachment must be formed
      • In humans, the critical period is around 2 years
        • With Lorenz’s goslings, critical period was 13-16 days
      • If an attachment is not formed in the critical period, it will be extremely difficult for that individual rto create an attachment later on
    • evaluations of monotropic theory
      • Strengths
        • Schaffer and Emerson support monotropic attachment by stating that PAF is most important, all others are less so
      • Weaknesses
        • Research against
          • Rutter/ Lamb: attachments are formed for different reasons and hierarchies

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