1. Bowlby’s Theory
John Bowlby had a different theory about how attachments form. His view was that attachment to mother is essential for healthy development.

2. Innate programming
Attachment innate process for both infant and parent
Evolved because it promotes survival (Darwin’s theory of evolution)
Keeping close proximity to care-giver keeps infant safe

3. Attachment promotes survival by:
Safety – attachment results in desire to keep close – infant and caregiver experience anxiety when separated therefore seek each others proximity
Emotional relationships – enables infant to learn how to form healthy relationships necessary for procreation
Secure base for exploration – enables infant to explore world from safe base – exploration important for mental development

4. Monotropy Infants develop one special attachment (usually mother)
This is the infant’s primary attachment figure
Infants can have multiple attachments but have one special relationship

5. Continuity hypothesis
The view that there is a link between early attachment and later emotional behaviour

6. Bowlby’s Theory Video - are mothers necessary
V:\Psychology\2. A2 SPEC 2009\FORENSIC\1 Turning to Crime\Are mothers necessary Pt1.mp4
Whilst watching, note down:
Bowlby’s ideas
Evidence for them
Criticisms
Up to fathers…

7. Bowlby’s ideas
If you don’t attach, you could die of exposure – evolutionary reasons for attachment
Communication with mother/caregiver is important and two-way- social releasers (e.g. big eyes, crying etc)
Separation in early life causes later problems – Hinde – continuity hypothesis
Mothers most important – familiarity is key - monotropy
Infant seeks proximity from birth to the caregiver – attachment is innate
Mother away=babies cry/anxiety – social releasers/ innate need for contact with mum/ monotropy – only mum will do
Damage the attachment, damage the child – continuity hyp
Forced separation leads to delinquent behaviour- continuity hyp

8. Innate programming – role of social releasers
infant innately elicits care giving from mother-figure by means of social releasers – behaviours such as smiling or crying which encourage response
infants have innate social releasers and mother-figure innate responses to these – promotes survival

9. Critical (or sensitive) period
Only limited period in which attachments can form (biologically determined)
based on work of Lorenz- found goslings would attach or imprint on first thing they saw (e.g. Lorenz himself and even a matchbox)
Imprinting – occurs during short critical period
If baby does not form attachment before age of 2½ years, then would not be possible thereafter

10. Monotropy Infants develop one special attachment (usually mother)
This is the infant’s primary attachment figure
Infants can have multiple attachments but have one special relationship

12. Continuity hypothesis
The view that there is a link between early attachment and later emotional behaviour

13. Add the key terms you learned for homework into your notes as follows:
Attachment is innate
Critical or Sensitive period
Limited period of time in which attachment to form
Social releasers
Infants have innate behaviours designed to elicit or create caregiving in others
Monotropy
Continuity hypothesis

14. Q7.Outline Bowlby’s theory of attachment.
Bowlby's theory of attachment suggests attachment is important for a child's survival. Attachment behaviours in both babies and their caregivers have evolved through natural selection(evolution). Infants are innately programmed to form an attachment. This is a biological process and takes place during a critical period. The role of social releasers, such as crying and smiling, is emphasised. This concept of monotropy suggests that there is one relationship which is more important than all the rest. For top band, answers do not need to address all these points.

15. Task Pairs Use images to represent the concepts
Choose someone in your team to be the illustrator
The other person should try to think of images that could be drawn
Prize for best two!

16. Attachment is innate
Sensitive period – Limited period of time in which attachment to form
Social releasers - Infants have innate behaviours designed to elicit or create caregiving in others
monotropy

17. Activity
Key term

18. HW
Read p 54-55
Complete middle column of yellow A3 sheets for Thursday
Findings supporting Bowlby’s theory
Findings against Bowlby’s theory

19. What is similar and different about the two theories
Learning theory
Both
Bowlby

20. Read p 54-55
Complete middle column of yellow A3 sheets
Now match the four studies on your sheet to the points of Bowlby’s theory
Cut them and stick them over the 4 findings you wrote at home – how close were you? – 20 mins
Complete the last column – 20 mins
HW for Monday – exam planning sheets

21. Findings
Explanation
Shaffer and Emmerson found that…..60% formed attachments with mother…..30% formed multiple attachments
This supports Bowlby’s theory as it finds that there is a single main attachment figure for most children (60%). Bowlby described this as monotropy. However, this also does not support his theory as 30% formed multiple attachments!

22. Use the A3 sheets to Read p54-55 of the textbook
You don’t need to learn all of the research
On the A3 sheet, briefly summarise research findings that support or challenge each aspect of Bowlby’s theory
Cut out and stick in findings from the help sheet