Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

Define separation:

Answer 1

Where a child is away from their attached caregiver for a short period of time, (hours or days).

Question 2

Define deprivation:

Answer 2

The loss of something that is needed such as emotional care.

Question 3

What is maternal deprivation?

Answer 3

The loss of emotional care from the mother or PCG, used for long term or permanent distance.

Question 4

When did Bowlby develop the theory of maternal development?

Answer 4

1951.

Question 5

What is the basis of the maternal deprivation theory?

Answer 5

The idea that the continual presence of a mother or substitute is essential for normal psychological development of babies and toddlers, both emotionally and intellectually.

Question 6

What famous quote from Bowlby summarised the basis of the theory?

Answer 6

“Mother-love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as vitamins and proteins for physical health.”

Question 7

What is the difference between separation and deprivation?

Answer 7

Separation is the child being away from the attached caregiver for a short period of time and deprivation is essentially the prolonged separation.

Question 8

What is privation?

Answer 8

The child having never experienced emotional support from a mother or PCG ever.

Question 9

What is the critical period for psychological development?

Answer 9

The first 30 months of life is the critical period, if the child is separated from the mother in the absence of suitable substitute care for a prolonged period during this time then psychological damage was inevitable.

Question 10

How long did Bowlby believe the critical period was?

Answer 10

30 months.

Question 11

What affect did maternal deprivation have on intellectual development?

Answer 11

The individuals intellectual development is stunted, they may suffer from intellectual retardation. Goldfarb (1947) found that children from an orphanage who remained there had an average IQ of 67, which was in the mentally retarded range.

Question 12

What affect did maternal deprivation have on emotional development?

Answer 12

The individuals emotional development is stunted, they may develop into an affectionless psychopath. This prevents them developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality.

Question 13

What are affectionless psychopaths?

Answer 13

They have the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others, this prevents normal relationships and is associated with crime as they cannot appreciate the feelings of others.

Question 14

Why is affectionless psychopathy associated with crime?

Answer 14

Because they lack the ability to appreciate the feelings of the victims and lack remorse for their actions.

Question 15

Why is affectionless psychopathy associated with poor relationships?

Answer 15

Because they lack the ability to appreciate feelings of their partners and therefore cannot consider how their actions affect others.

Question 16

Who studied the effects of maternal deprivation on intellectual development?

Answer 16

Goldfarb (1947).

Question 17

Describe the method that Goldfarb used to study the effects of deprivation on intellectual development:

Answer 17

• A sample of 30 orphaned children up to age 12,
• Half were fostered at 4 months and other half remained in the orphanage,
• Given a Stanford-Binet IQ test at age 12.

Question 18

Describe the results that Goldfarb found when studying the effects of deprivation on intellectual development:

Answer 18

• Fostered group had an average of 96 whilst control group had average of 68,
  ( - This was in the mentally retarded range at the time),
• Supporting Bowlby’s claim that children would suffer mental retardation if maternal care is deprived during the critical period and that good substitute care can reduce the effects of deprivation.

Question 19

What types of deprivation does maternal deprivation cause?

Answer 19

• Intellectual deprivation,

- Emotional deprivation.

Question 20

Which study examined the link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation?

Answer 20

44 Thieves study - Bowlby (1946).

Question 21

What was the aim of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 21

To investigate the effects of maternal deprivation on people in order to see whether delinquents have suffered maternal deprivation.

Question 22

Describe the method used in Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 22

Bowlby interviewed 44 adolescents who were part of a child protection program in London because of their stealing (thieves). He selected another 44 children as ‘controls’, they were referred to the clinic due to emotional problems rather than criminal ones. He interviewed the parents to state whether their children had experienced any separation during the critical period and for how long.

Question 23

Describe the findings of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 23

Over half of the juvenile thieves had experienced separation for longer than 6 months during the first 5 years. In the control group only 2 had such a separation. He also found 32% showed ‘affectionless psychopathy’ and none of the control group showed this.

Question 24

What was the conclusion from Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 24

Affectionless psychopathy and anti-social behaviours were due to maternal deprivation.

Question 25

In the 44 thieves study, where did Bowlby find the adolescents to study?

Answer 25

From a child protection program in London, 44 were thieves and the control 44 had emotional problems.

Question 26

How did Bowlby get the control group for the 44 thieves study?

Answer 26

They were children who were referred to the clinic because of emotional problems rather than behavioural problems.

Question 27

AO3 - Poor Evidence.

Answer 27

Bowlby drew on a number of studies including orphanages, Goldfarb and the 44 thieves study, however, these are all floored studies. Fore example, Bowlby’s study was conducted by himself which introduces researcher bias that could have affected the data he recorded and discarded.

Question 28

AO3 - Counter-evidence.

Answer 28

Lewis (1954) replicated the 44 thieves study on a larger scale, looking at 500 young people. She found that prolonged separation from the mother did not predict any criminality or relationship problems.

Question 29

AO3 - Sensitive period.

Answer 29

Bowlby used the term ‘critical period’, however, later research has shown that damage is not inevitable if deprivation occurs in this stage. Kolochova (1976) reported Czechoslovakian twins who were isolated from 18 months until 7 years and they became fully recovered, loving adults.

Question 30

AO3 - Animal studies.

Answer 30

Levy (2003) showed that separating baby rats from their mothers for as little as a day had a permanent effect on their social development (though not other aspects of development).

Question 31

AO3 - Distinguishing deprivation and privation.

Answer 31

Rutter (1981) claimed that Bowlby muddled the ideas of deprivation and privation together. He claimed the severe damage Bowlby associated with deprivation was actually more likely to occur due to privation.

Question 32

What is the difference between deprivation and privation?

Answer 32

Deprivation is where the child had a mother and then lost them for a prolonged period of time and privation is never having a mother figure at any point.

Question 33

Who created the PDD model?

Answer 33

Robertson and Bowlby (1952).

Question 34

What are the 3 stages of the PDD model?

Answer 34

• Protest,
• Despair,
• Detachment.

Question 35

Explain the PDD model?

Answer 35

Protest - screaming, crying and protesting when separated from the mother.
Despair - calming down but visibly upset, refuse emotional comfort and seem withdrawn.
Detachment - engaging with others, rejecting the mother and shows signs of anger.

Question 36

Explain the Protest stage of distress:

Answer 36

The child cries, screams and protests angrily when the parent leaves. They will try to cling on to the parent to stop them leaving.

Question 37

Explain the Despair stage of distress:

Answer 37

The child’s protesting begins to stop, and they appear to be calmer although still upset. The child refuses others’ attempts for comfort and often seems withdrawn and uninterested in anything.

Question 38

Explain the Detachment stage of distress:

Answer 38

The child will start to engage with other people again, they will reject the caregiver on their return and show strong signs of anger.