Bolwby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

What was Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 1

Warm, intimate, continuous relationship with mother figure is necessary for healthy emotional/psychological development

Question 2

What are the consequences of maternal deprivation?

Answer 2

Inability to form attachments in future
Affectionless psychopathy
Delinquency
Problems with cognitive development

Question 3

What was Bowlby’s study?

Answer 3

44 Juvenile Thieves

Question 4

What was Bowlby’s procedure?

Answer 4

Compared 44 thieves with non thieves from delinquency centre- interviews and questionnaires

Question 5

What were Bowlby’s findings?

Answer 5

17/44 thieves experienced prolonged separation from mothers before 5 years, while only 2/44 non thieves had experienced this
15/17 were classed as affectionless psychopaths

Question 6

Practical applications?

Answer 6

Highlight importance of positive attachment experiences and maintaining a mono tropic bond in first 5 years
Some national governments offer more financial support for young families in terms of paternity/maternity leave

Question 7

Accurate?

Answer 7

Based on retrospective recall of the thieves from years before, there will be inaccuracies/distortions, so may not be accurate

Question 8

Investigator effects?

Answer 8

Bowlby designed and conducted the self reports himself, and as a result his presence and interpretation may have influenced the outcome of the study

Question 9

Causation or correlation?

Answer 9

Correlation between affectionless psychopathy and early separation, but we cannot definitively conclude that separation was the cause

Question 10

Oversimplified?

Answer 10

Michael Rutter argues that Bowlby fails to distinguish between separation from an attachment figure, loss of attachment figure, and complete lack of attachment