Bowlby

Bowlby

1. Evolutionary theory of attachment

   • Children are born biologically preprogramed to form an attachment with other as a survival aid.
     • Supporting studies are Lorenz and Harlow's monkey's
       • Lorenz shows that imprinting/attaching as an infant is innate and a requirement for survival. He studied young ducklings.
       • Harlow showed that attachment will only form if care is give alongside response. He also showed that the lack of attachment has serious negative consequences like Bowlby states.
   • the monotropic theory suggests that a child will for a particular bond with one care giver.
     • This would be the primary care giver/ primary attachment figure.
       • The more that the child/baby spent with the primary attachment figure the better.
       • The primary bond is the most important bond to form. This is usually the mother of the child.
     • Law of continuity states that, the more predictable the child's care is the better quality of their attachment
       • Law of separation states, the effects of every separation from the mother add up and the safest dose is 'zero dose'.
   • The child will use social releasers to stimulate care giving responses from adults.

2. Maternal deprivation theory

   • The continual presence of nurture from a mother figure is essential for normal psychological development.
   • Separation VS Deprivation
     • Have to have a clear understanding of the clear distinction between separation and deprivation. Separation is when the child is no long in the presence of the primary attachment figure. This separation will only become an issue if the child is deprived of care. This will then start to affect the developmental process. This will only happen if the primary attachment figure loses the element of care towards the child.
   • Effects of development
     • Intellectual development: Bowlby believed that if a child was maternally deprived then this could be reflected in their intellectual development. usually characterised by abnormally low IQ. Supported by Goldfarb who found that child who were in institutions for long periods of time had lower IQ compared to the children who were fostered and had a higher standard of emotional care.
     • Emotional Devlopment
   • 44 Thieves study

3. Bowlby believes that there is a critical period where if attachments are not form then it can lead to serious negative consequences. The critical period is around 2 years of age up to 30 months of age, if the attachment is not formed by then this means that they will struggle to form one at later dates.

   • This one attachment figure that was secure would act as a base structure for all future attachment and social relationships that the child will have. This is called the INTERNAL WORKING MODEL
     • Bowlby Famous Quote " Mother-love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins for physical health"

4. Evaluation

   • Monotropic theroy
   • Maternal deprivation