Outline and Evaluate John Bowlbys evolutionary theory of attachment John Bowlby’s evolutionary theory was proposed in 1953 and suggests that children come into the world biologically pre-programmed, to form attachments with others, because, this will help them to survive and reproduce. Whereas, failure to form attachments could lead to serious long term consequences for the child. The reason as to why Bowlby’s theory is evolutionary is because, in his view, attachment is a behavioural system that has evolved due to its survival value. There are a variety of main points suggested by Bowlby which make this theory so vital. Firstly, he imposed that the attachments are innate; i.e.
Bowlby begun to explore this. Bowlby (as cited in Oates, 2005) was inspired by this previous ethological work and was interested in linking such findings with human development (Oates, 2005). Bowlby’s focus was children’s attachment during the critical period and the effect it has on later development. Bowlby was influenced by work of Winnicot. Winnicot’s (1953) work on mothers and infants demonstrated the important for mothers to be emotionally ready to be a ‘good enough mother’ by having tolerance of waiting out a child’s frustration and the confidence in providing satisfaction (Oates, 2005).
Other people are involved in the baby’s life and it is possible for them to form attachments to their other family members/friends. Babies can think for themselves. These factors are also involved in the formation of attachment. Bowlby’s theory was influenced by Freud’s and the evolutionary theory in 1951. He was supported by the work of Lorenz and he suggested that attachment must be formed within a critical period before the child is 2 years old.
Relationships PSY/ 200 June 20, 2012 University Of Phoenix Relationships When we are babies how we are nurtured determines how we build relationships when we are older. There are three different attachment styles secure, avoidant and anxious. While we are infants if we experience warm responsive parents we will have secure have secure attachment. If we experience cold, rejecting parents or caregivers we will have anxious attachment. Anxious attachment is experienced when we have inconsistent caregivers or parents.
Bowlby argued that the attachment behaviours in both caregivers and babies evolved ensuring the survival of the baby until maturity and reproduce. Babies produce instincts like crying and smiling which encourages the caregiver to look after it. Parents especial mothers as per to Bowlby have instincts to protect their baby from harm and nurture them ensuring their survival until maturity. Those babies and mother who don’t possess these behaviours have been less successful. A second most important concept in Bowlby’s theory was the idea of monotrophy a single attachment to one person who is most important to the baby.
Having a caregiving environment of mind-mindedness, a state in which the parents treat their children as independent thinkers, is a necessary condition for the best development of interpersonal interpretive function. Individuals suffering from BPD have an inadequate ability to understand that their reactions and other’s reactions are driven by thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires. Attachment trauma is also thought to be part of the history of those with BPD. Attachment theory suggests that early experience with caregivers serves to organize later attachment relationships and has been used to explain the psychopathology of BPD (Fonagy, Target, Gergely, Allen, & Bateman, 2003). Childhood maltreatment studies have offered diverse predictors in the types of childhood maltreatment associated with BPD.
Babies have social releaser which unlocks the innate tendency for adults to care for them; these are both physical and behavioural social releasers. Bowlby adopted the idea of a critical period from ethologists like Lorenz, and applied this to his explanation of how human infants form their attachments. Bowlby has several claims. The first being that we have evolved a biological need to attach to our main caregiver, this being the monotropy attachment. Forming this attachment has survival values, as staying close to the mother ensure food and protection.
‘The time is ripe for a unification of Psychoanalytical concepts with those of Ethology’ J Bowlby 1953 Bowlby’s theory begins with the idea that we are all born with innate drives, this comes from the Darwinist theory that all characteristics have survival value, Bowlby would consider attachment to be one of these characteristics. Part of these innate drives is the idea that we are all born with social releasers, Social releasers promote attachment between the child and it’s primary care giver (P.C.G). A releaser such as crying elicits care giving from others nearby. The person who responds most sensitively to the child’s releasers will become the P.C.G. The relationship between child and P.C.G becomes the most important in the child’s life.
These settings include the child’s own home, child care centers and family child care. The quality of the care they receive, whatever the setting, is a primary concern here. The kind of relationships and experiences infants and toddlers have can either nurture of interfere with their development. An infant's capacity to learn and thrive depends on the interplay between nature and nurture. Infants come into this world with an inherited genetic
Whilst early theories pertaining to maternal interaction and deprivation can be found in the works of Sigmund Freud, Rene Spitz and Harry Harlow, Attachment Psychologist John Bowlby is largely regarded as the pioneer in the field (Peterson, 2004). Bowlby believed attachment to be an innate adaptive method applied by the child in an attempt to meet primary survival needs (i.e. food, shelter, mental stimulation). In order to secure these primary needs, newborn infants will attempt to form secure attachments to primary caregivers. If secured the child will receive ample attention and have basic needs met.