Attachment: bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation Flashcards
What is maternal deprivation?
Loss of emotional care due to prolonged separation
What does the theory state?
Continuous maternal care is needed for healthy psychological development
What happens if infants are deprived from maternal care during the critical period?
They suffer consequences eg: lower iq
cannot empathise or feel guilt
What was the sample of the study?
-44 juvenile thieves and their families
-control group of 44 disturbed children
What was the procedure of the study?
-the thieves and their families were interviewed
-they were compared to a control group of 44 disturbed children
What were the findings of the study?
.14 were affection less psychopaths in which 12 of these were separated from their mothers before the age of 2
What were some limitations to the study?
-bias evidence (bowlby conducted the interviews)
-critical period not crucial:
.Czech twins led to live happy lives and healthy relationships after abuse at a young age
What was a strength to the study?
-evidence from institutions (lower iq if raised in institutions)
-real world application:
.led to improvement in institution care as each assigned key workers and as much time spent in foster care as possible.