Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory

Question 1

What is Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 1

-maternal deprivation can effect the child’s mental and physical health.

Question 2

What is Maternal deprivation?

Answer 2

-is when a child is separated from their mother for a prolonged amount time.

Question 3

What is separation?

Answer 3

-child not in presence of PAF (primary attachment figure).

Question 4

What is the critical period?

Answer 4

• 0-2years old is when an attachment needs to be formed.

Question 5

What is a Weakness of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 5

-Socially sensitive
- Suggests that the mother will feel bad and may not do things she wants to in fear of having detrimental effects on the child.

Question 6

What is a Strength of Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 6

• Levy showed that separating baby rats from their mothers for a day had permanent effects on their social development.
  (however, this research cannot be extrapolated from rats to humans).

Question 7

What is Bowlby’s 44 thieves (1944)?

Answer 7

-AIM: examine link between affection-less psychopathy and maternal deprivation.
-PROCEDURE: 44 criminal teens, Bowlby interviewed them himself.
-a sample of control group of 44 non-criminals but emotionally-disturbed young people.
-FINDINGS: 14/44 of thieves could be described as affection-less psychopaths 12 of the 14 has prolonged separation from their mothers in the first two years.
-Conclusions: prolong early separation/ deprivation caused affection-less psychopathy.