Explanations of attatchment

Explanations of attatchment

1. Bowlby's theory

   • 1) Innate & Adaptive - survival of infant, ensuring safety as infant will stay close to attachment figure who will feed and protect them
   • 2) Critical period - attachment form first 2.5 years, after that may not form.
   • 3) Social releasers - born with, eg crying, smiling. Ensure interaction takes place. Infants attach to person who responds best to social releasers
   • 4) Monotropy (one special relationship) - person who respond most sensitively to social releasers
   • 5) Internal working model - Part of continuity hypothesis which shows early attachment is related to how future relationships as an adult
   • Evidence
     • Innate and adaptive (Imprinting) - New born goslings attach within hours of birth. Aids their survival. Lorenz - imprinting=evolutionary value for animals, be safe, get food=increase chance of survival&natural selection.
       • However, comparing humans and goslings may not be appropriate/relevant.
     • Internal model - Hazan&Shavers, love quiz about early attachments and current relationship status. Secure attachment=happy,friendly,trusting relationship. Insecure attachment=less easy, more likely to divorce.
       • However, some infants are born friendly=secure attachment=healthy love life. Suggests that it isnt infant attachments in early life, its their innate temperament

2. Learning Theory

   • Classical Conditioning - Pleasure of feeding is associated with the person who feeds the infant and this person becomes a source of pleasure even when there is no feeding. This creates the attachment
   • Operant conditioning - Dollard&Millar - Hungry infant will be 'driven' to seek food. When fed, drive is reduced as this produces pleasure=food is primary reinforcer - directly reduces discomfort and behaviour is leart. Person who provides it=secondary reinforcer. Infant seeks to be with them and an attachment is formed.
     • Plenty of psychological research that learnt behaviour is through association and reinforcement.
       • Food=not main reinforcer-attention and responsiveness from caregiver? Harlow-Monkeys prefered social interation with substitute mother that provided comfort rather than food.
     • Responsiveness is more important - Schaffer&Emerson - infants not attached to the person who feeds or spends time with them. Most attached to the person who interacted and responded to them. Feeding doesn't explain attachment.