bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

maternal deprivation

Answer 1

emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between child and mother

Question 2

separation versus deprivation

Answer 2

separation means child not being in presence of primary attachment figure

deprivation is deprived of emotional care

Question 3

critical period

Answer 3

2.5 years is critical period for psychological development

there’s a continuing risk up to the age of five

Question 4

intellectual development

Answer 4

if children deprived of maternal care for too long during critical period they would experience delayed intellectual development

Goldfarb - lower IQ in those in institutions compared to foster families

Question 5

emotional development

Answer 5

affectionless psychopathy - inability to experience guilt - prevents fulfilling relationships and associated with criminality

Question 6

bowlby procedure

Answer 6

44 criminal teenagers - stealing

interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy
- lack of affection, guilty and empathy

control group of 44 non-criminal but emotional disturbed

Question 7

bowlby findings

Answer 7

14 in 44 thieves affectionless psychopathys
12 had prolonged separation from mothers in first 2 years

only 5 of remaining 30 thieves had separations

only 2 of 44 control group

Question 8

flawed evidence

Answer 8

P - limited as poor quality evidence
E - 44 thieves flawed as bowlby carried out interviews so open to bias
E - goldfarb - confounding variables as had early trauma and institutional care
L - original sources of evidence of maternal deprivation has flaws

P - new line of research
E - modest support for idea
E - Levy et al separated baby rats from mothers for a day and saw permanent effect on social development
L - although flawed evidence, other sources of evidence to support ideas

Question 9

critical versus sensitive periods

Answer 9

P - limited idea of critical period
E - bowlby - damage is inevitable if attachment not formed during critical perio
E - evidence good quality care can develop most damage eg Czech twins experienced abuse from ages of 18 months until 7 but recovered fully
L - lasting harm is not inevitable even in cases of severe privation - critical period is therefore better seen as sensitive period

Question 10

deprivation and privation

Answer 10

P - confusion between different types of experience
E - Rutter - distinction between two types of early negative experience - deprivation loss of figure after attachment developed - privation failure to attach in first place
E - severe long term damage more likely related to privation - children studied likely prived
L - Bowlby may have overestimated the seriousness of the effects of deprivation