Attachment: Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

What is maternal deprivation?

Answer 1

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and their mother/substitute figure.

Question 2

What did Bowlby believe care was important for?

Answer 2

Believed care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development, and prolonged separation will damage this.

Question 3

What study did Bowlby do to test maternal deprivation?

Answer 3

• WHO commissioned him to write a report on the mental health of homeless children in post-war Europe.
• Produced his maternal deprivation hypothesis.

Question 4

What was Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 4

Deprivation from main caregiver during critical period (2.5yrs) harmful effects on emotional, social, intellectual and physical development.

Question 5

What study looked at testing the maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 5

Bowlby (1944): 44 thieves

Question 6

What was the aim of 44 thieves study?

Answer 6

Aimed to test his maternal deprivation hypothesis, in particular the effects of early separations and affectionless psychopathy.

Question 7

What was the method of 44 thieves study?

Answer 7

Bowlby interviewed the children and their families, who attended clinic. He compared the backgrounds of 44 juvenile thieves with the background of 44 non-delinquent children.

Question 8

What were the findings of 44 thieves study?

Answer 8

• Found 32% of young thieves showed ‘affectionless psychopathy’ (none in control group)
• 86% of ‘affectionless… in group of thieves experienced long periods of maternal separation before age of 5 (only 2 in control group).

Question 9

44 thieves conclusion?

Answer 9

Separation in early life led to long term ill effects, particularly affecting emotional development. Bowlby concluded there was a link between maternal deprivation + affectionless psychopathy.

Question 10

44 thieves evaluation

Answer 10

• Sample biased (All men)
• Unique - Generalisations to wider population difficult
• Results are correlational (cannot prove cause and effect)
• No explanation for why 2 people who experienced deprivation in control group not delinquents.

Question 11

What is affectionless psychopathy?

Answer 11

Inability to experience guilt or emotion.

Question 12

What can maternal deprivation cause?

Answer 12

• IQ and Mental retardation

- Affectionless Psychopathy

Question 13

What other study links to Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 13

Romanian Orphans