Bowlby's attachment theory

Bowlby's attachment theory

1. Caregiver- adaptive babies elicit certain social releasers like crying to force the caregiver to respond. These innate responses given by caregivers ensure that the interaction between the parent and baby happens.

2. Attachment is adaptive and innate. Kids have an innate drive to become attached to a caregiver to increase their chance of survival.

3. Sensitive period this is the window for an attachment to happen. Between 3-18 months after this it becomes difficult to form an attachment.

   • Delinquency, low IQ and depression are associated with this.

4. Monotropy and hierarchy

   • Babies have one primary attachment (monotropy) but will have other attachment figures in a hierarchy. Children without these secondary attachments seem to lack social skills. The mum is usually the primary attachment figure.

5. Internal working model

   • Based on experiences on attachment, the infant will develop a model about emotional relationships.

6. Continuity hypothesis

   • Consistency between early emotional relationships and later relationships.

7. Hodges and Tizards followed a group of 65 british children from early life to adolescence. The children had been placed in one instituation when they were less than 4 months. They had formed no attachments at this time. They found later on 70% of them were unable to 'care deeply about anyone'.

   • Applies to Bowlby's theory as the children missed the sensitive period and had difficulties forming attachments.

8. Lamb found that babies prefer fathers as playmates because their play is more physical and unpredictable. Contradicts the theory as the dad is the primary attachment figure rather than the mum.

9. Kagan said that an innatly trusting and friendly personality could be a prime factor in secure attachment as a child and in forming close adult relationships. This is called the temperament hypothesis. That all infants are born with a certain temperament.

   • Contradicts as it says the infant is born with a certain type of attachment.