Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

What is privation?

Answer 1

Not having the opportunity to form a bond in the first place.

Question 2

What is maternal deprivation?

Answer 2

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother or mother-substitute. Bowlby proposed that continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development and that prolonged separation from this adult causes serious damage to emotional and intellectual development.

Question 3

What is separation in attachment mean?

Answer 3

Is child not being in the presence of the primary attachment figure.

Question 4

When does separation become a problem?

Answer 4

If the child becomes deprived of emotional care.

Question 5

What can lead to deprivation?

Answer 5

Extended separation which can cause harm.

Question 6

Explain what happens when separated and deprived for extended duration cause.

Answer 6

Critical period up to 2.5 years in this time if a child experiences long gaps in emotional care then it is inevitable there will be some psychological damage
Delayed intellectual development.
Emotional development could be effected, affectionless psychopathy.

Question 7

How does maternal deprivation effect intellectual development?

Answer 7

Delayed intellectual development, characterised by abnormally low IQ.
Demonstrated in adoption studies.
Goldfarb found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions compared to those who were fostered.

Question 8

How does maternal deprivation effect emotional development?

Answer 8

Deprived of a mother’s emotional care.
Bowlby identified affectionless psychopathy as the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others.
Prevents them fulfilling relationships.
Associated with criminality - affectionless psychopaths can’t appreciate the feelings of victims so lack remorse.

Question 9

What did Bowlby study?

Answer 9

44 thieves study examining link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation.

Question 10

What was the procedure of Bowlby (1944)?

Answer 10

Had 44 teenage criminal teenagers accused of stealing.
Interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy.
Interviewed to establish whether the ‘thieves’ had prolonged early separations from their mothers.
Compared control group off 44 non-criminal but emotionally-disturbed young people.

Question 11

What are the findings of Bowlby (1944)?

Answer 11

14/44 thieves described as affectionless psychopath.
12 of these had prolonged separations from their mothers in the first 2 years of their lives. This was more so in comparison to control group.

Question 12

What are the conclusions of Bowlby (1944)?

Answer 12

Prolonged early separation/ deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy.

Question 13

What are the limitation of the theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 13

Flawed evidence
Deprivation and privation - Rutter (1981).
Heteronormative.

Question 14

Why is the evidence on maternal deprivation flawed?

Answer 14

44 thieves study had Bowlby himself carry out both the family interviews and the assessments for affectionless psychopathy.
Bias - knew in advance which teenager he expected to show signs of psychopathy.

Question 15

Explain Rutter’s (1981) experiment.

Answer 15

Drew distinction between two types of early experience.
Pointed out the severe long-term damage Bowlby associated with deprivation is actually privation.
Many of the children in 44 thieves had disrupted early lives and may never have formed strong attachments.

Question 16

Why is Bowlby’s idea of critical period a limitation?

Answer 16

Evidence suggest good quality aftercare can prevent most or all this damage.
Koluchova (1976) reported case Czetch Twins who experienced very severe physical and emotional abuse from 18 month to 7 years old. They received excellent care by their teens and fully recovered.