BOWLBY'S THEORY OF MATERNAL DEPRIVATION Flashcards
what did Bowlby say was essential?
continued emotional care from the mother
what did Bowlby say separation from the mother may lead to?
maternal deprivation
the difference between separation and deprivation is…
losing emotional care due to separation
does separation always cause deprivation?
no if alternative emotional care is offered
how long was the critical period that Bowlby identified?
30 months
what can happen as a result of maternal deprivation?
lowered intellectual development, such as an abnormally low IQ
who found research to support that deprivation can lead to lowered intellectual development?
Goldfarb found lower IQ’s in children from institutions in comparison to foster children
what can also happen as a result of maternal deprivation?
affectionless psychopathy due to lack of emotional development
what was the procedure for Bowlby’s 44 Thieves?
44 delinquent teenagers
families interviewed to establish any prolonged maternal separation
what were the 44 Thieves interviewed for?
affectionless psychopathy, with lack of affection, guilt and empathy
what did Bowlby find after his 44 Thieves study?
14/44 affectionless psychopaths
12/44 prolonged maternal separation within age of 2
what research can support maternal deprivation?
animal studies e.g. Levy et al
what was Levy et al’s research?
separating baby rats from mother for even a day can have permanent effects on social development
how can Levy et al’s research be criticised?
doubt to which extent animal studies can be generalised to human behaviour
what research can criticise emotional consequences due to maternal deprivation?
Lewis who replicated study with 500 people
what did Lewis find to criticise Bowlby?
early prolonged separation not predict criminality or difficulty forming relationships
how does Lewis criticise Bowlby?
other factors may be more important that maternal separation
what does Bowlby’s theory not distinguish according to Rutter?
the difference between deprivation and privation
what is the difference between deprivation and privation?
deprivation is loss of primary attachment after bond
privation is failure to form an attachment at all
what does Rutter argue?
that severe long term damage is a result of privation not deprivation
how can Rutter’s point be applied to 44 Thieves?
many of thieves bounced between homes, so didn’t form a strong monotropic attachment therefore criminality can be due to privation not deprivation
how can Goldfarb’s study be criticised?
orphans in institutions were traumatised and this could’ve caused developmental difficulties due to lack of care, not just maternal care
what could’ve Bowlby’s evidence paired with Goldfarb’s be?
be biased because he carried out interviews himself, researcher imposition and researcher bias (applying own perspective onto results)
