bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation : evaluation

Question 1

what is a limitation of Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis ?

Answer 1

• poor quality of evidence it is based on

Question 2

why is the evidence flawed ?

Answer 2

• he based it on Goldfarb research on the wartime orphans
• 44 studies had major design flaws + bias

Question 3

what does it mean by this ?

Answer 3

–> however the war orphans were traumatized and often had poor after-care
–> these factors could be the causes of later development difficulties rather than separation
–> children growing up from birth in poor institutions were deprived of many aspects of care

Question 4

why did Bowlby’s Maternal Hypothesis have bias ?

Answer 4

• as he carried out the assessments for affectionless psychopathy and the family interviews knowing what her looked for

Question 5

what is a counterpoint to the MDH for the flawed evidence ?

Answer 5

• animal studies levy et al
  (2003)

Question 6

what does the reserzach provide ?

Answer 6

• support for maternal deprivation having long-term effects

Question 7

what did Levy’s research show ?

Answer 7

• separating baby rats from their mother for as little as day
  –> permanent effect on their social development though not other aspects of development

Question 8

what does animal studies lack ?

Answer 8

generalisability

Question 9

what is a limitation towards the critical period ?

Answer 9

• critical period is more of a sensitive period

Question 10

what is the research supporting critical period being sensitive period ?

Answer 10

• Koluchova (1976) Czech studies

Question 11

what happened with the Kolchova (1976 ) study ?

Answer 11

• children experienced extreme abuse and neglect between the ages of 18 months and 7 years
• czech twins
• no language
• IQ about 40
  —> were eventually adopted and received excellent aftercare + completely ‘normal’ by the time they were teenagers

Question 12

what does this research suggest about Bowlby’s MDH ?

Answer 12

• shows that the period identified by Bowlby may have been a sensitive one rather than critical

Question 13

what is a limitation of Bowlby’s MDH ?

Answer 13

• failure to distinguish the difference between deprivation and privation

Question 14

who distinguishes the difference ?

Answer 14

Rutter (1981)

Question 15

what did Rutter say about Bowlby’s MDH ?

Answer 15

• muddling 2 concepts together
• drew a line between deprivation and privation
• deprivation is when losing an attachment after it’s formed
• privation is never forming an attachment in the 1st place

Question 16

what did Rutter conclude ?

Answer 16

• that severe long-term damage was as a result of privation rather than deprivation
  –> e.g. goldfarb’s wartime orphans
• 44 thieves had disrupted early lives –> spells in hospital