Evaluation for Bowlby's theory

Evaluation for Bowlby's theory

1. Support from other studies

   • Lorenz
     • Support for the idea that there is an innate drive to form attachments can come from Lorenz with his study of imprinting in Geese. He demonstrated that Geese separated from their natural mothers would imprint on the first moving object that they saw and thus form an attachment. It shows that animals have an innate drive to form attachments, which could also apply to humans as similar behaviours are seen across other species.
   • Harlow
     • Support for the idea of a secondary attachment figure comes from Harlow's study on monkeys. Monkeys who were raised only with their mother (pretend mum) for the first 6 months, were socially incompetent and showed no desire to engage with peers. This highlights the crucial sensitive period that Bowlby suggested.