Outline and evaluate Bowlby's monotropic theory of attachment [8 marks]

AO1- first para

Bowlby gave an evolutionary explanation of attachment that attachment is an innate system that gives a survival advantage. Bowlby suggested that babies are born with innate cute behaviours such as smiling, sucking, known as social releasers. The purpose of these social releasers is to activate the adult attachment system and elicit caregiving and make the adult feel love towards the baby. Bowlby recognised this attachment as reciprocal as both baby and mother have an innate predisposition to become attached and social releasers trigger that response in caregivers. The two types of social releasers are behavioural (crying) and phyiscal (big eyes) which make the mother want to care for their children.

AO1- second para

Furthermore, according to Bowlby, babies have to form an attachment during the critical period, which is around the age of 2 during the time they form a special attachment with their mother ot caregiver, known as monotropic attachment. If attachment is not formed during this period, he/she will find it difficult to form one later and will be damaged for life physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially.
Finally, Bowlby suggested that a child's monotropic attachment to a caregiver acts as a model for future relationships and referred to this as an internal working model, which is known as continuity hypothesis. If a child has a strong attachment with their mother, they are likely to go on and have strong and healthy relationships. However, a child whose relationship is poor will tend to form poor future relationships. The internal working model may also affect the child's later ability to be a parent themselves.

AO3- strength

P = a strength of B's theory is that there is research to support continuity hypothesis and internal working model

E = Hazan & Shaver (1987), created a love quiz questionnaire to explore the idea that there's continuity between early attachment types and the quality of later adult romantic relationships. They gathered info on the ppl's early attachment types and their attitude towards adult relationships. They found that those who were securely attached as infants tended to have longer lasting relationships than those who were insecurely attached and found it difficult to form and maintain relationships and often led to divorce and separation.

E = this supports the idea that childhood experiences have a significant impact on people's later relationships and suggests that theories relating to the CH (continuity) and the IWM (internal) have at least some validity