Bowlbys Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

What did bowlby propose

Answer 1

Prolonged separation from a mother in early child has serious consequences

Question 2

Separation

Answer 2

When the child is not with the primary attachment figure. Brief separations are not significant for development

Question 3

Deprivation

Answer 3

If separation is extended and child loses an element of mother care, this can be harmful to the child. Leads to negative effects on intellectual and emotional development

Question 4

Bowlby says psychological development is inevitable if

Answer 4

Lack of continouos care from mother during critical period and no appropriate care is provided

Question 5

Maternal deprivation

Answer 5

Child is separated from their mother for an extended length of time meaning they lose out on an element of their mothers care

Question 6

Intellectual development

Answer 6

Mental retardation aka low IQ

Question 7

Emotional development

Answer 7

Affectionless psychopathy inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others with lack of remorse. Stops them developing healthy relationships with other

Question 8

Aim of bowlbys 44 thieved study

Answer 8

Find the link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation

Question 9

Bowlbys 44 thieves study procedure

Answer 9

Thieves interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy, families interviewed to establish whether they received maternal deprivation

Question 10

Bolbys 44 thieves study findings

Answer 10

14/44 thieves had affectionless psychopathy and 12 had experienced prolonged separation from their mothers - prolonged early separation caused affectionless psychopathy

Question 11

Evidence to support 44 thieves study

Answer 11

Levy et al - separation in rats had permanent effect on social development

Question 12

Weakness maternal deprivation theory

Answer 12

• supporting research is animals. Harlow shows monkeys without mothers showed emotional and social problems. Difficult to generalise in artificial environments to children
• methodological problems, bowlby carried out research himself open to bias. Influenced by godfarbs reserach but those children also experienced trauma

Question 13

Strength of maternal deprivation theory

Answer 13

Critical period - sensitive period bevause research shows children can still form attachments after critical period. Lacks external validity