An attachment is an emotional bond between two people. It is a two-way process that endures over time. An evolutionary perspective of attachment was researched by the famous John Bowlby in 1969.
Bowlby observed both humans and mammals. Bowlby 's theory is an evolutionary theory, he emphasised that attachment had evolved, which means it was not something that was taught, because of its survival and reproductive value. According to Bowlby, children have an innate (inborn characteristics which are genetically determined) drive to become attached to a caregiver as attachment has numerous long term benefits such as imprinting. Both, imprinting and attachment makes sure that a young animal or infant remains close to their caregiver who will feed and protect them. Therefore attachment and imprinting are adapting behaviours which mean that the survival and reproductive rate is increased. Infants who don 't become attached are less likely to survive and reproduce.
There are key features of Bowlby 's theory of attachment and these are; continuity hypothesis, internal working model, monotropy, social releasers and sensitive/critical period. These features explain Bowlby 's theory of attachment because this is the evidence that he concluded with whilst studying attachment.
Seeing as attachment is innate, there is likely to be a certain stage where development takes place, this is known as the critical or sensitive period. The development of all biological systems takes place very rapidly and simply during a critical period, however it can take place at other times (sensitive period). Bowlby used the concept of a sensitive period to attachment. He believed that the second quarter of the first year (3-6 months) is when infants are most sensitive to develop attachments. As the months pass by attachments are difficult to form infant-caregiver attachments.
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