Bowlby

Question 0

Explain Bowlby’s maternal deprivation model.

Answer 0

A child should receive the continuous care of the single most important attachment figure for approximately two years.

Question 1

What is monotropy ?

Answer 1

An innate need to attach to one main figure.

Question 2

Explain the ‘critical period’

Answer 2

Bowlby argued that there is a critical period up until about two and a half years where a child should receive the continuous care of one attachment figure.
If this is delayed or disrupted, irreversible long term consequences will be suffered.

Question 3

Name 5 consequences Bowlby claims will result from maternal deprivation.

Answer 3

1. Delinquency
2. Reduced intelligence
3. Increased aggression
4. Depression
5. Affectionless psychopathy

Question 4

Explain the PDD model.

Answer 4

Short term separation can cause the ODD model.

Protest - Despair - Detachment

Question 5

Explain the internal working model.

Answer 5

This is a cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding the world. According to Bowlby the primary caregiver acts provides a template for future relationships which guides their responses to others.

Question 6

Outline Bowlby’s (1944) study of 44 Thieves.

Answer 6

Bowlby studied 88 juveniles referred to a child guidance clinic. 44 had not committed any crimes - 44 had stolen.
Parents of both groups interviewed.
More than half of the thieves had experienced prolonged maternal separation.
Of this group 32% said to show ‘affectionless psychopathy’

Question 7

Name two problems with Bowlby’s (1944) 44 Thieves study,

Answer 7

1. Bowlby designed and conducted the experiment himself - could lead to experimenter bias.
2. This was a retrospective study with data collected by interview - recall could be unreliable + social desirability bias.

Question 8

What are Rutter’s criticisms of Bowlby?

Answer 8

Rutter claimed that Bowlby confused association with causal link. Other external variables such as diet, parental income, education - may have affected the behaviour of the 44 thieves and not just the disruption of the maternal bond.
Many of the 44 thieves has been moved around a lot in their childhood and probably never formed an attachment - Rutter suggested this was more damaging and that Bowlby confused deprivation and privation.

Question 9

What adjustments to Bowlby does Rutter suggest?

Answer 9

1. Rather than stating that negative consequences inevitably follow privation or deprivation - these children should be seen as ‘at risk’.
2. ‘Family discord’ was as likely to negatively impact children as separation from attachment figures: the quality of the attachment was important.