2023-2025 Year 12 A-Level Psychology Attachment: Explanations Of Attachment - Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory
This flashcard set focuses on Bowlby’s Monotropic Theory (Adaptive aspect), highlighting how attachment is an innate and inherited system that enhances an infant’s survival. It also covers the idea that babies are born with social releasers to trigger caregiver responses and strengthen attachment bonds.
ADAPTIVE: Bowlby suggests that attachment is an ________[1] system, it is ______ [2] in order to improve________ [3], therefore it is adaptive. Bowlby suggested infants are born ‘_________ [4]’ to attach and _______ [5] are also ‘programmed’ to attach.
[1] Innate
[2] inherited
[3] survival
[4] programmed
[5] parents
Key Terms
ADAPTIVE: Bowlby suggests that attachment is an ________[1] system, it is ______ [2] in order to improve________ [3], therefore it is adaptive. Bowlby suggested infants are born ‘_________ [4]’ to attach and _______ [5] are also ‘programmed’ to attach.
[1] Innate
[2] inherited
[3] survival
[4] programmed
[5] parents
Bowlby stated that humans are born with what ?
Social releasers
What are some example of social releasers?
Smiling, crying or looking ‘cute’
Why are social releasers important in attachment?
Social releasers trigger a response in a care giver and ensures interaction takes place to form an attachment.
What is a ‘critical period’?
A period for attachment in an infant to take place, usually within the first 2.5 years of life.
What is the implication of a missed ‘critical period’?
Attachment may not take place at all.
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
ADAPTIVE: Bowlby suggests that attachment is an ________[1] system, it is ______ [2] in order to improve________ [3], therefore it is adaptive. Bowlby suggested infants are born ‘_________ [4]’ to attach and _______ [5] are also ‘programmed’ to attach. | [1] Innate |
Bowlby stated that humans are born with what ? | Social releasers |
What are some example of social releasers? | Smiling, crying or looking ‘cute’ |
Why are social releasers important in attachment? | Social releasers trigger a response in a care giver and ensures interaction takes place to form an attachment. |
What is a ‘critical period’? | A period for attachment in an infant to take place, usually within the first 2.5 years of life. |
What is the implication of a missed ‘critical period’? | Attachment may not take place at all. |
Why did Bowlby describe his theory as ‘Monotropic’? | Because he placed great emphasis on a child’s attachment to one caregiver. |
Who did Bowlby believe is the most important attachment figure in the child’s development? | The mother |
What is an internal working model? | The internal working model is a ‘mental representation’ that the child forms of their relationship with their primary caregiver. |
What does an internal working model allow a child to do? | It gives them a template for what relationships are like. |
What do children do with their attachment relationship with their caregiver? | Children build an expectation of what future relationships will be like. |
TRUE OR FALSE: Bowlby believes that Internal Working Models are not passed on from one generation to the next. | FALSE. |
What famous researcher can we use to support Bowlby’s monotropic theory? | Lorenz study on imprinting |
What did Lorenz find that helps to support the monotropic theory? | Lorenz found a critical period of 12-17 hours in which imprinting has to take place otherwise it would not later. |
RTS Monotropic theory: What did Hazen and Shaver’s ‘love quiz’ suggest about children who are securely attached? | They tend to have happy and long lasting relationships in later life. |
What kind of system did Bowlby say attachment was? | An innate system |
According to Bowlby why is attachment inherited? | To improve survival rate |
What are Smiling, crying or looking ‘cute’ examples of ? | Social releasers |
What did Bowlby call attachment where great emphasis is placed on a child’s attachment to one caregiver. | Monotopic |
What did Bowlby say is a ‘mental representation’ that the child forms of their relationship with their primary caregiver. | Your Internal working model |
If a child was in a loving relationship, how would a child feel? | Secure |
What kind of internal working model would a person with a secure attachment have? | Positive internal working model. |
What kind of internal working model would a person with an insecure attachment have? | Negative internal working model |
RTS: Hazan and Shaver created the ' ____ quiz' | Love |
How does Hazan and Shaver's love quiz support the internal working model? | First relationships with caregivers act as a template for future relationships |
Counter to RTS: Hazan and Shaver used a questionnaire to conduct their study. What is a limitation of using this method. | Participants might lie about their relationships in order to present themselves in the best possible light (social desirability). |
Shaffer and Emerson conducted a study that contradicts the monotropic theory. What did they conclude? | Children can have multiple attachments not just one like the monotropic theory suggests. |
What researchers found that children can have multiple attachments not just one like the monotropic theory suggests. | Shaffer and Emerson |