Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

Deprivation

Answer 1

Loss of something wanted or needed
So loss of emotional care from CG either long term or permanent

Question 2

Bowlby’s hypothesis

Answer 2

• Continuous emotional care from mother is necessary for normal development
• Mother-love intimacy is as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins are for physical health

Question 3

Critical Period

Answer 3

If a child is seperated from their mother for an extended time during first 2.5 years then psychological damage is inevitable - continuing risk of up to 5yrs

Question 4

Effect on intellectual development

Answer 4

Goldfarb found lower IQs in children from institutions compared to fostered children

Question 5

Effect on emotional development

Answer 5

Leads to affectionless psychopathy which is the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others.
Prevents development of normal relationships and is associated with criminality

Question 6

Bowlby 44 Thieves

Answer 6

• 44 delinquent teenagers accused of stealing
• interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy
• families interviewed to estabish any prolonged seperation from mother

Question 7

Bowlby’s 44 Thieves Findings

Answer 7

• 14/44 thieves were affectioness psychopaths
• 12/14 AP thieves had experience prolonged seperation from mother in first 2 years of life
• 5/30 non AP thieves had experienced seperation

Question 8

Bowlby’s 44 Thieves Conclusion

Answer 8

Prolonged eary seperation causes affectioness psychopathy

Question 9

AO3 +

Answer 9

• Harlow’s monkeys were deprived and suffered detrimental effects to PIES as adults
• Levy et al = seperating rats for one day had permanent effect on thier social development

Question 10

AO3 -

Answer 10

• 44 thieves open to investigator bias as Bowlby assessed both deprivation anf psychopathy
• ppts may have been privated not deprivated so Bowlby exaggerated effects of deprivation on development