Evaluating Bowlby
Strengths
1. Research by Lorenz supports the idea that imprinting is innate because the goslings imprinted on the first moving object they saw.
In a similar way it is likely that many species have an innate mechanism to protect young animals and enhance the likelihood of their survival.
2. Bowlby’s theory is that there is a critical or sensitive period for the development of attachment, which he believed was at 3-6 months old.
There is research support that concludes that once the sensitive period has passed it is difficult to form attachments. Hodges and Tizzard (1989) studied children who had been placed in institutions when they were less than 4 months old until they were adolescents. They found that children who had formed no attachments had later difficulties with peers
3. The importance of secondary attachments was found in a study by Harlow where monkeys who were raised just with their mothers for 6 months were later socially abnormal and were then unable to act socially around other monkeys.
weaknesses
1. Many psychologists, e.g. Rutter (1995) hold the view that all attachment figures are equally important. In the multiple attachment model there are no primary and secondary attachments – all attachments are integrated into one single working model.
2. Research on infant-father attachment by Grossmann and Grossman (1991) suggests a key role for fathers in social development.
3. Relationships with siblings are important for learning how to negotiate with peers.
REVIEW OF RESEARCH
Prior and Glazer concluded that the majority of evidence still points to the hierarchal model as suggested by Bowlby. In his theory secondary attachments do contribute to social development, but healthy development requires one central person standing above all others in a hierarchy
1. Research by Lorenz supports the idea that imprinting is innate because the goslings imprinted on the first moving object they saw.
In a similar way it is likely that many species have an innate mechanism to protect young animals and enhance the likelihood of their survival.
2. Bowlby’s theory is that there is a critical or sensitive period for the development of attachment, which he believed was at 3-6 months old.
There is research support that concludes that once the sensitive period has passed it is difficult to form attachments. Hodges and Tizzard (1989) studied children who had been placed in institutions when they were less than 4 months old until they were adolescents. They found that children who had formed no attachments had later difficulties with peers
3. The importance of secondary attachments was found in a study by Harlow where monkeys who were raised just with their mothers for 6 months were later socially abnormal and were then unable to act socially around other monkeys.
weaknesses
1. Many psychologists, e.g. Rutter (1995) hold the view that all attachment figures are equally important. In the multiple attachment model there are no primary and secondary attachments – all attachments are integrated into one single working model.
2. Research on infant-father attachment by Grossmann and Grossman (1991) suggests a key role for fathers in social development.
3. Relationships with siblings are important for learning how to negotiate with peers.
REVIEW OF RESEARCH
Prior and Glazer concluded that the majority of evidence still points to the hierarchal model as suggested by Bowlby. In his theory secondary attachments do contribute to social development, but healthy development requires one central person standing above all others in a hierarchy