A - institutionalisation: Romanian orphans (AO3)

Question 1

What is a limitation of Rutter’s (2010) study? - Data is correlational

Answer 1

===> Appears to be relationship between age of adoption and IQ, but could be other way round. Children who already had physical or mental disability may not have been selected for adoption as early. Can’t certainly state that a longer time in an institution led to a lower IQ - no cause-and-effect relationship

Question 2

What is a limitation of Rutter’s (2010) study? - Low internal validity

Answer 2

===> Many complex variables involved in institutions (little/no mental stimulation and malnourishment) separated from just effects of institutionalised care. Confounding variables make findings difficult to interpret solely as institutionalisation.

Question 2

What is a strength of Rutter’s (2010) study? - Real-world application

Answer 2

===> Helped change the way children are looked after, especially in care. Before, mothers encouraged to keep babies for as long as possible for adoption which may have inhibited attachment to others after the critical period but now they’re adopted as early as 1 week old. Singer et al (1985) states children now as securely attached to biological mother as adoptive mother

Question 3

What is a strength of Rutter’s (2010) study? - Longitudinal research

Answer 3

===> Long and short-term effects assessed so increases internal validity as thorough representation of institutional care over a long period. However, there needs to be more recent updates to assess the even longer-term effects