Bowlbys Monotrpoy and maternal deprivation

Question 1

Outline bowlbys monotropic theory

Answer 1

1. Placed great emphasis on a child’s attachment to one primary attachment figure
2. Did not need to be biological mother

Question 2

Outline the two principles that determined quality of attachment

Answer 2

1. Law of continuity: more constant and predictable the better the quality of attachment
2. Law of accumulated separation: effect of every instance of separation adds up so best is 0

Question 3

Describe social releases

Answer 3

1. Innate set of ‘cute’ behaviours such as cooing that encouraged attention to tripper adult attachment system
2. Mutual interplay relationship
3. Critical period of 2 years for attachment system after which harder (not impossible) to form an attachment

Question 4

Describe internal working model

Answer 4

1. Child forms mental representation with primary caregiver.
2. Serves as a model for what relationships are like so affects future relationships
3. Love and care= reliable and loving
4. Base own ability to patent of being patented themselves

Question 5

Mixed evidence for monotropy

Answer 5

1. Bowlby thought one attachment was special and unique and only after this was formed could others form
2. Schaffer found a significant minority could form multiple attachment at same time
3. Also unclear whether this relationship is unique or simply stronger but not different in quality

Question 6

Support for social releases

Answer 6

Brazelton et al. (1975)

1. Observed mother-child interactions
2. Reported interactional synchrony
3. Experiment where mothers ignored social releases, babies showed distress
4. Chlidren reacting so strongly suggests importance of infant social behaviour in eliciting care

Question 7

Support for internal working models

Answer 7

1. Idea that internal working model works as template for parenting
2. Bailey et al, (2007), assed quality of 99 mothers attachment with their mothers and then with their children
3. Mothers who reported poor attachment to their mothers also had poor attachment to their children
4. Supports internal working model

Question 8

Monotropy is socially sensitive

Answer 8

1. Law of accumulated separation Places great burden on mothers
2. As could form poor attachment having long lasting impact
3. Pushes mothers to make lifestyle choices like not returning to work

Question 9

Theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 9

1. Continual presence of mother is essential for normal psychological development
2. Can have serious consequences if deprived of love

Question 10

Separation v deprivation

Answer 10

1. Separatation is simply not being in their mothers presence
2. Deprivation occurs If they lose an element of care because of extended separation

Question 11

Critical period

Answer 11

1. First 30 months

2. If there is no substitution then psychological damage inevitable

Question 12

How does deprivation effect intellectual development

Answer 12

1. If during critical period then would suffer delayed intellectual development (low IQ)
2. Supported by study that showed lower IQ in those who stayed in institutions than those who were fostered

Question 13

Deprivation on emotional development

Answer 13

1. Affectionless psychopath
2. Characterised by no guilt or emotion
3. Prevents normal relationships and is associated with criminality (no remorse)

Question 14

44 thieves procedure

Answer 14

1. 44 thieving teens
2. Interviewed for effectionless psychopaths
3. Families interviewed to find out if deprived

Question 15

44 thieves findings

Answer 15

1. 14 of 44 were affectionless psychopaths
2. 12 of 14 had had prolonged separation in critical period
3. Only 5 of the non AP thieves had prolonged separation
4. Proves link of deprivation during critical period and AP

Question 16

Eveidnce may be poor

Answer 16

1. Used lots of war ophans (traumatised)
2. Also children who grew up in poor quality institutions who were deprived of many aspects of care, not just maternal care
3. Most of all Bowlby carried out his own study so deffinayely a confirmation bias

Question 17

Counter evidence

Answer 17

1. Replication of study but 500 person sample
2. Deprivation did not predict criminality or difficulty forming relationships
3. Larger sample so more reliable

Question 18

Critical period counter

Answer 18

1. Said damage in this time was irresponsible
2. Some cases children taken in and loved after this period make full recovery
3. Such as twin boys who were isolated from 18 months to 7 years old

Question 19

Deprivation v privation

Answer 19

1. Bowlby really taking about not forming primary attachment in the first place witch is privation
2. Deprivation is loss of the attachment once already formed