Bowlbys Maternal Deprivation Theory

Question 1

Maternal deprivation def

Answer 1

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and his/her mother or mother substitute. Bowling proposed that continuous care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development, and that prolonged separation from this adult caused serious damage to emotional and intellectual development.

Question 2

Separation vs deprivation

Answer 2

Separation simply means the child not being in the presence of the primary attachment figure. This only becomes an issue for development if the child is deprived ie they lose an element of her care
Deprivation is only apparent through extended seepation which leads to cause of harm

Question 3

The critical period

Answer 3

Bowlby saw the 30 months of life as a critical period for psychological development. If a child is separated from their mother in the absence of suitable substitute care and so deprived of emotional care for extended period during this critical period, then psychological damage was inevitable

Question 4

Effects on intellectual development

Answer 4

Bowbly believed that if children were deprived of maternal care for too long during critical period they would suffer mental retardstion, characterised by abnormally low IQ
GOLDFARB 1947
Found that children who had remained in institutions in opposed to foster care had lower IQ

Question 5

Effects on emotional development

Answer 5

Bowbly identified affectionless psychopathy as the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others.
This prevents a person from developing normal relationships associated with criminalist
Affectionless psychopaths can not appreciate the feelings of victims so lack remorse for their actions

Question 6

Procedure of bowlbys 44 thieves study

Answer 6

44 criminal teenagers accused of stealing
All thieves were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy characterised by lack of affection, guilt about their actions and lack of empathy for victims
-families were also interviewed in order to establish whether they had prolonged early separations from mothers
- a control group of non criminals was set up to see how often maternal deprivation occurred in children who were not thieves

Question 7

Findings of bowlbys 44 thieves study

Answer 7

Found that 14 of 44 were affectionless psychopaths
Of this 14. 12 had prolonged depression from their mothers in first 2 years of their lives
In the control group only 2 out of 44 had experienced long separations
EARLY SEPERSTIONS AND DEPRIVATION CAUSED AFFECTIONLESS PSYCHOPATHY

Question 8

Evaluation- the evidence may be poor

Answer 8

Only supporting evidence was by bowlbly so investigator effects may have took place so he could get the results he wanted. Also all teenagers were from the same place, same age so not generalisable results

Question 9

Evaluation - counter evidence

Answer 9

Hilda Lewis 1954
Replicated the study on larger scale of 500 young people
Found that prolonged deprivation from the mother did not predict criminality or difficulty forming close relationships
This is a problem as it suggests other factors may affect outcome of early maternal deprivation

Question 10

Evaluation- the critical period is actually more of a sensitive period

Answer 10

Later research has shown that damage is not inevitable. Some cases of very severe deprivation have had good outcomes provided the child has some social interaction and good aftercare.
JARMILA KOLUCHOVA 1976
Found that Czech kids who were isolated from age of 18 months until they were 7 years old (step mother locked in cupboard) they were then looked after by 2 loving adults and appeared to recover fully
‘Sensitive period NOT critical