Bowlby's thieves study

Question 1

what was the aim of this study

Answer 1

this study examined the links between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation

Question 2

what was the procedure

Answer 2

44 teenage delinquents accused of stealing were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy, families were also interviewed to establish if there was prolonged early separation from mothers
there was a control group of 44 non criminal teenagers with emotional problems

Question 3

what were the results

Answer 3

14/44 were affectionless psychopaths out of which 12 had experienced maternal separation
17/44 had maternal separation
in the control group there were 2 that had maternal deprivation and 0 were affectionless psychopaths

Question 4

what was the conclusion of this study

Answer 4

prolonged separation caused affectionless psychopaths

Question 5

limitations of this study

Answer 5

poor evidence- there could have been bias to change the results to make them fit with his theory
counter evidence- Lewis 1954 had a much larger sample and found that there was not a direct relationship
the critical period is more of a sensitive period- koluchova (1976) shows that there is more than just the critical period to form attachments

Question 6

what is Koluchova (1976)

Answer 6

a case study of twins kept in a cupboard from the age of 18 months to 7 years, both made a full recovery once put into a healthy home suggesting that there is not critical window but more of a flexible ‘sensitive window’