Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation Flashcards
What did Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation propose?
- Mother love in infancy is just as important for a child’s mental health as vitamins and minerals are for physical health.
- Would result in severe damage to a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development.
- The effects which came from maternal deprivation were irreversible.
What were the 5 long lasting effects that Bowlby said maternal deprivation would lead to?
- Affectionless psychopathology
- Developmental retardation
- Delinquency
- Increased aggression
- Depression
What did Bowlby mean by affectionless psychopathology as a result of maternal deprivation?
- An inability to show affection or concern for others.
- Such individuals act on impulse with little regard for the consequences of their actions.
- E.g. showing no guilt for antisocial behaviour.
What did Bowlby mean by developmental retardation as a result of maternal deprivation?
- Goldfarb studied 2 groups of children: those who spent a few months in an orphanage before being fostered and those who spent 3 years in an orphanage before being fostered.
- Both groups were tested until the age of 12.
- Study found that those who spent longer in the orphanage performed less well on IQ tests, were less social and more likely to be aggressive.
Supports Bowlby’s prediction.
What did Bowlby mean by delinquency as a result of maternal deprivation?
- Tendency to commit minor crimes (trespassing, vandalism, shoplifting).
- If a child is deprived of their caregiver, Bowlby suggested they may turn to crime to compensate for their lost relationship.
If the point is:
A strength of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that there’s evidence to support it.
What is the evidence and link?
Evidence- Bowlby’s 44 thieves study was tested on a sample of 88 children who had been referred to a child guidance clinic. 44 had been sent because of stealing, and Bowlby identified 16 of the thieves as affectionless psychopaths. He interviewed all 88 children plus their families, focussing on early life experiences. He found that 87% of children diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths had experienced prolonged periods of separation from their mother. Less than 4% of the non thieves group had experienced such separations.
Link- This implies that maternal deprivation does lead to emotional and behavioural disorders, and in most severe forms leads to antisocial behaviours like theft.
If the point is:
However, a weakness of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that there’s contradictory evidence.
What is the evidence and link?
Evidence- Hetherington and Hagan investigated the effects of divorce on children and found that 25% of children experience long term adjustment problems, with most children able to adapt. 75% therefore didn’t show any long term effects.
Link- This evidence goes against Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation, suggesting it may not be entirely credible and accurate.
If the point is:
Another strength of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that it has led to practical applications.
What is the evidence and link?
Evidence- Bowlby’s findings contributed to changes in the prison system and the introduction of mother and baby units in women’s prisons. There’s currently 80 places across the country where babies can stay with their mother up to 9-18 months, but research like Bowlby’s suggests more are needed.
Link- This means that Bowlby’s research into the maternal deprivation hypothesis has helped improve the way that authorities support infants.
If the point is:
Another weakness of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that another prominent researcher in this area, Michael Rutter, claimed that when Bowlby talked of ‘deprivation’, he was muddling 2 concepts together.
What is the evidence, explanation and link?
Evidence- Rutter drew a distinction between deprivation, meaning the loss of an attachment figure after attachment has developed, and privation, the failure to form any attachment in the first place.
Explanation- Rutter claimed that the severe long term damage Bowlby associated with deprivation is actually more likely to be the result of privation.
Link- This implies that Bowlby’s theory has faced some opposition, and may not be a fully reliable hypothesis to base the result of maternal deprivation off of.
What are the evaluation points for Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?
+ Research to support
— Contradictory evidence to what the theory suggests
+ Led to practical applications
— Another prominent researcher in this area, Michael Rutter, claimed that when Bowlby talked of ‘deprivation’. he was muddling 2 concepts together
