Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

Definitions

Answer 1

Separation - a child is not in the presence of their primary attachment figure
Deprivation - a separated child loses an element of their care
Privation - a child fails to form an attachment
Maternal deprivation - emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother or mother substitute

Question 2

Bowlby’s arguments

Answer 2

Continuous care from a mother is essential for the healthy development of a child
Critical period of up to 30 months - if infant is deprived of a mother during this time, psychological damage is inevitable
Consequences of deprivation were irreversible

Question 3

Effects of maternal deprivation on development

Answer 3

Intellectual development - mental retardation with abnormally low IQ
Researcher found lower IQ in orphaned children who remained in institutions compared with those who were fostered
Emotional development - affectionless psychopathy which is the inability to experience guilt or strong emotions for others
Sufferers can’t develop normal relationships, association with criminality and they lack remorse for their actions

Question 4

Bowlby’s 44 thieves study - procedure

Answer 4

Sample of 44 teenagers accused of stealing and a control group of 44 ‘non-thieves’
Interviewes them to establish whether they were affectionless psychopaths
Spoke with their families to see if they had been separated for prolonged periods from their mothers as infants

Question 5

Bowlby’s 44 thieves study - findings and conclusion

Answer 5

14 of the 44 ‘thieves’ were affectionless psychopaths
12 of these 14 had experienced prolonged separation in the first two years of life
Suggests that prolonged early separation and maternal deprivation causes affectionless psychopathy

Question 6

Bowlby’s 44 thieves study - evaluation

Answer 6

Researcher bias because Bowlby himself selected the participants from a clinic in London where he worked
Meant he had good knowledge of their family histories and so could have been biased in his selection

Question 7

Evaluation point - real world application

Answer 7

Before this research, children spending time in hospital would be separated from their parents and their visits were discouraged / forbidden
This theory emphasised how this was harmful and led to the practice or ‘rooming in’ whereby a mother will be allowed to stay in the room with their child during their hospital visit

Question 8

Evaluation point - critical period or sensitive period

Answer 8

This theory claims that if an infant is separated from their mother during the critical period, they would suffer lasting damage
Case study of Czech twins who were kept locked up in a cupboard by their stepmother from the age of 18 months until 7 years old. After, they were looked after by two caring adults and fully recovered. Suggests its only a critical period - continued care is important but a lack of care won’t necessarily have irreversible effects
However, twins could have bonded with each other in the cupboard