Explanations; Bowlby's theory

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  • Explanations: Bowlby's Theory
    • Monotropic
      • one particular attachment is different from all others and of central importance to the child's development
        • called this person the mother FIGURE (doesn't have to be biological)
          • 2 principles to clarify this
            • law of continuity
              • more constant and predictable a child's care - the better quality of their attachment
            • Law of accumulated separation
              • the effects of every separation from the mother add up (safest dose is zero)
    • rejects learning theory as an explanation
      • looked at the work of Lorenz and Harlow for ideas and proposed an evolutionary explantion
        • attachment was an innate system that gave a survival advantage
          • imprinting and attachment evolved because they ensure that young animals stay close to their caregivers and this protects them from hazards
    • Social releasers
      • babies are born with a set of innate 'cute' behaviours like smiling to get attention
        • purpose is to activate the adult attachment system (make them feel love) - social releaser trigger response
    • Critical period
      • interplay between infant and adult attachment systems gradually build relationship between infant and caregiver, beginning in early weeks of life
      • critical period around when the infant attachment system is active
        • sensitive period
          • age of 2 - if not formed in this time will be harder to form in future
    • Internal working model
      • child forms mental representation of their relationship with their primary caregiver
        • model of what relationships are like
        • powerful effect on the child's future relationships
        • loving relationship with parents - expectation of all relationships like this
          • first relationship involves poor treatment - expect poor treatment from others and treat others poorly
      • affects child's later ability to be parents themselves - explains why children from functional families have similar families themselves

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