Bowlbies theory of attachment

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Attachment by evolution
We have evolved biological need to attach to our main care giver. This has developed through natural selection to ensure survival of the child to maturity
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What does he mean by monotropic attachment
We form one main attachment figure usually to our biological mother, has a survival factor as ensures food and protection, strong attachment provides safe base, form secondary attachments which are a safety net and important for psychological health
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Internal working model
The idea that our infant attachment gives us a template for all future relationships. This is called the internal working model of attachment
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Why is the internal working model called a working model?
It is a working model because it can change and develop over time depending on how the persons relationship changes
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Continuity hypothesis
The idea that the primary care giver provides the foundations for the child's future relaitonships
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What is the criticle period for attachment
In the first three years of life it is criticle for an attachment to develop otherwise it may never do so effecting later life
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What happens if an attachment doesn't develop?
If it doesn't develop (death/seperation) or if its broken it might seriously damage the childs social and emotional development
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Harlow as supporting evidence
Harlows monkeys supports idea that we evolve a need to attach. Also suggests that social and emotional development might be damaged if an attachment isn't formed, Lorenz also supports Bowlby
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Schaffer and Emmerson criticise Bowlby
Dont agree with theory of monotropy, found rather than one main attachment many children form multiple attachments and may not attach to their mother during infancy
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Harlow as evidence against Bowlby
Also goes against monotropic theory, other monkeys without a mother, but grey up together didn't show signs of emotional and social disturbances, they attached to eachother instead
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Effect of Bowlbies report in 1950
Led to an increase in stay at home mothers, having a subsequent impact on the economy as fewer women were at work
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What is a social releaser?
Important during the criticle period to ensure attachment develops, smiling, and having a baby face all elicit caregiving, These social releasers are innate mechanisms.
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Is attachment adaptive?
May be less criticle for survival as suggested. Its develops after three months, which is very late if needed to survive. May have been true for distant ancestors, we need it when we can crawl from 6 months, supporting view its adaptive
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Sensitive rather than criticle period- Rutter et al
Rutters data shows attachments are less likely to form after this time, but can still occur. It id a developmental window, but such development of attachment can occur outside this window
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Multiple attachment versus monotropy
Multiple attachment model suggests there is no primary and secondary attachments, but that they are all integrated to form a healthy internal working model.
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Grossman and Grossman- Fathers role
Bowlby suggests the attachment to the mother is the most imprtant to psychological health and the others are just suplimentary, however they found the father played a key role in social development
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Prior and Glaser- Supporting Bowlby
From a review of research, they concluded that the evidence still pints to the hierarchial model as suggested by Bowlby's concept of monotropy
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Sroufe et al- Continuity hypothesis
Followed participants from infancy to late adolescence, found continuity between early attachment and later emotional/social behaviour. Those with secure attachment in infancy had the best social skills, and empathy supporting continuity hypothesis
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Alternative explanation- Kagen
Proposes that an infants emotional personality may explain attachment behaviour, infants with easy temperament are more likely to become strongly attached because its easier to attach to them, and vice versa
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Alternative explanation- Belsky and Rovine
Found that infants between one and three days old who had signs of behaviour instability were judged to be more likely to have developed an insecure attachment
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How do the alternative explanations differ from Bowlbies?
Bowbly suggested that attachment type is due to primary attachment figures sensitivity, Kagens view is that attachment can be explained by infant behaviour. Belsky and Rovine say there is interaction between the two, which is supported by Spangler
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Card 2

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What does he mean by monotropic attachment

Back

We form one main attachment figure usually to our biological mother, has a survival factor as ensures food and protection, strong attachment provides safe base, form secondary attachments which are a safety net and important for psychological health

Card 3

Front

Internal working model

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

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Why is the internal working model called a working model?

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Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

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Continuity hypothesis

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