Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation And Romanian Orphans Flashcards
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation method
- 88 children (5-16years) from a child guidance clinic.
- 44 were thieves and interviewed for affectionless psychopathy.
- 44 had not committed any crimes (control group).
- 14/44 were then classed as affectionless psychopaths.
Bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation- results
- 86% of the thieves had early and prolonged separation.
- 17% of the other thieves had early and prolonged separation.
- 4% control group had early and prolonged separation.
Bowlbys maternal deprivation theory evaluation- The studies methodology is correlation etc
- The studies methodology is correlational, self report and retrospective bias.
- Ev- Self repot from parents and adolescence and was correlational. Looked back at the children from self reposts from parents.
- Ex- Parents may lie for social desirability and inaccurate memory of events. Other factors may have affected psychopathy such as poverty.
- Would be unethical to make maternal deprivation. Could of done longitudinal study of people who were maternally deprived instead of looking at psychopaths.
Bowlbys maternal deprivation theory evaluation- Research support for effects of maternal deprivation
- Research support for effects of maternal deprivation.
- Ev- Harlow’s monkeys had socialisation issues and aggression. Also, Ritter found children in institutes had lower IQ and more mental health issues.
- Ex- Important for monotrophy figure attachment not to be broken. This has implications for policies of the custodial sentencing of female offenders with infants.
- Rutter accused Bowlby of misinterpreting deprivation and privation are the same. Maternal deprivation can be reversed w like privation.
Bowlbys maternal deprivation theory evaluation- Social sensitivity of the research findings
- Social sensitivity of the research findings.
- Ev- Role of maternal figure is key for preventing psychopathy and antisocial behaviour.
- Ex- Blames women for children’s criminality, removes accountability of offender and puts pressure on mother for child’s upbringing. Women should remain at home for 18months-5years of child life.
- Happy work mother- better child development. Bowlby lacks temporal validity as focuses on when women did stay at home all the time.
Romanian orphan study- Method
- Quasi experiment.
- Romanian orphans adopted in the UK (privation), compared to UK adopted in the UK.
3 conditions - 0-6months (early adopted).
- 6months- 2years.
- 2-4years (late adoption).
Romanian orphan study- Results
By 6 years old
- 0-6months- 8.9% disinhibited attachment. IQ- 106
- 6months-2years- 26.1% disinhibited attachment. IQ- 77
- UK adoptees- 3.8% disinhibited attachment.
By 11 years old
- Long term effects were more evident in late adoptees like disinhibited attachment, low IQ, aggression, language skills.
Shows the longer in institutions the mien long term effects.
Effects of institutionalisation ROS evaluation- Research support for long term effects
- Research support that institutionalised has long term effects.
- Ev- Hodges and Tizard- 65 UK children in an institution. By age 16, all children in institution had disinhibited attachment problems with peers, considered bullies and wanted attention from adults.
- Ex- Privation- Long term effects on ability to form peer relationships. Low IQ.
- However, both Rutter and H+T had a sample bias. Romanian adopted in UK and UK adopted. May just be factors relevant to the cultures and these cultures and attitudes towards learning disabilities and adoption.
Effects of institutionalisation ROS evaluation- Assumea long term effects are permanent but can be reversed
- Assumes long term effects are permanent but they can be reversed.
- Ev- Czech twins- Raised in extreme isolation when mother dies in childbirth. 7 years locked up by stepmother. They had no language ability and physically stunted.
- Ex- It was assumed that effect was permanent, however when paced with their aunts by 14 had near normal social and intellectual functioning. 20years were above intelligence and excellent relationships with others.
- However, the twins had each other, and had formed attachments with aunts before being taken by father and stop mother. Hence, could be more maternal deprivation than privation.
Effects of institutionalisation ROS evaluation- Quasi lack of causality
- Quasi lack of causality.
- Ev- Privation is not the only factor, the IV was not manipulated (as its unethical to create privation for research purposes).
- Ex- There are other factors that could cause long term effects, e.g. the reasons for institutionalisation (learning disabilities,neglect). Therefore, reductionist to consider only due to institutionalisation.
- However, real life implications- Change the policies of adoption in the UK and throughout the world, e.g. adopting before 2 years old, as effects of privation can be reserved.
