Bowlby's Theory of Attachments
John Bowlby’s Theory
Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal.
1. THE THEORY * Bowlby’s theory suggests that attachment is evolutionary and is needed to aid survival. * He did observational research to link orphans with psychological damage. * Babies are helpless and rely on adults. They make instinctive decisions because they haven’t actually learnt anything yet. Bowlby said that babies must be genetically programmed to form attachments with others because this will help them to survive. * Five key aspects to Bowlby’s theory: * Attachment is adaptive and aids survival. * Babies have an innate need for care – social releasers (built in mechanisms for encouraging care-giving behaviour from parents) help to communicate, e.g. crying, smiling and sucking. * Internal working model – their first attachment forms a template to make all other attachments in later life. If the first attachment is good then every other attachment made in later life will be good – this is called the continuity hypothesis.(Emotionally secure infants go on to be emotionally secure, trusting and socially confident adults. * Monotropy – Bowlby suggests that babies have one unique bond with their mother (or the caregiver) and this is the first to develop. * Critical period – this period is between 0 - 2.5/3 years old. If no attachment is made by the first three years of the child’s life, there will never be an attachment. * Bowlby was very much influenced by ethological theory in general, but especially by Lorenz’s (1935) study of imprinting. Lorenz showed that attachment was innate (in young ducklings) and therefore has a survival value. Lorenz did research with geese by separating the gosling eggs, one group with the mother geese and one group with Lorenz. The eggs hatches and followed the first moving object they saw, either the mother or Lorenz. * Bowlby
Attachment is a strong and emotional bond that develops over time between two individuals that is reciprocal.
1. THE THEORY * Bowlby’s theory suggests that attachment is evolutionary and is needed to aid survival. * He did observational research to link orphans with psychological damage. * Babies are helpless and rely on adults. They make instinctive decisions because they haven’t actually learnt anything yet. Bowlby said that babies must be genetically programmed to form attachments with others because this will help them to survive. * Five key aspects to Bowlby’s theory: * Attachment is adaptive and aids survival. * Babies have an innate need for care – social releasers (built in mechanisms for encouraging care-giving behaviour from parents) help to communicate, e.g. crying, smiling and sucking. * Internal working model – their first attachment forms a template to make all other attachments in later life. If the first attachment is good then every other attachment made in later life will be good – this is called the continuity hypothesis.(Emotionally secure infants go on to be emotionally secure, trusting and socially confident adults. * Monotropy – Bowlby suggests that babies have one unique bond with their mother (or the caregiver) and this is the first to develop. * Critical period – this period is between 0 - 2.5/3 years old. If no attachment is made by the first three years of the child’s life, there will never be an attachment. * Bowlby was very much influenced by ethological theory in general, but especially by Lorenz’s (1935) study of imprinting. Lorenz showed that attachment was innate (in young ducklings) and therefore has a survival value. Lorenz did research with geese by separating the gosling eggs, one group with the mother geese and one group with Lorenz. The eggs hatches and followed the first moving object they saw, either the mother or Lorenz. * Bowlby