bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

What was bowlbys aim in the 44 thieves study?

Answer 1

-investigate the link between maternal deprivation and affection less psychopathy

Question 2

who was involved in bowlbys 44 thieves?

Answer 2

-44 teen thieves and 44 other children(control grp)
-attending guidance clinic london
-5-16 yrs, boys
-natural experiment(interview)

Question 3

What was bowlbys procedures in the 44 thieves study?

Answer 3

-interviewed thieves for signs of affectionless pscyhopathy
-e.g lack of shame, guilt for actions
-interviewed families too to ask if they had prolonged separation from mother

Question 4

What was bowlbys FINDINGS in the 44 thieves study?

Answer 4

-control grp had 96% not separated from mum
-however control group considered ‘normal’ but they were still patients at his clinic?
-only 4% control group had frequent separation from mother compared to stealing children at 29%.
-however affection less thieves had way more at 86%
-however most thieves found to have guilt at 30% compared to 14% with no remorse.

Question 5

Evaluate bowlby 44 thieves study?

Answer 5

-huge age ranges
-only in london and only boys(not very representative)
-combined orphaned children with those only left by their mum to go work(two very different cases of separation)
-natural experiments have EVs
-control group wasent 100% healthy (from his clinic)
-interviewed kids(no informed consent)
-interviewed families(results affected by social desirability and demand characteristics

Question 6

What is the disruption of attachment in WW2?

Answer 6

-kids became homeless
-evacuated for protection
-woman encouraged to work for war effort so kids sent to daycare
-wealthy kids had nannies but away from mother(so poor social, intellectual, emotional development)

Question 7

what was bowlbys hypothesis?

Answer 7

-if no mother- child bond in first few years = permanent damage

Question 8

What did Bowlby suggest by his hypothesis?

Answer 8

-prolonged separation from carer has negative effects
-theres critical period of 2.5 years
-no adequate substitute attachment causes psychological damage

Question 9

What are the effects of seperation on development? intellectually

Answer 9

-intellectual (mental retardation - low IQ)
-Goldfarb= iQ high in adopted kids rather than those who remained in adoption centre(less emotional care)

Question 10

What are the effects of seperation on development? emotionally

Answer 10

-affectionless psychopathy
-dont experience guilt or strong emotions for others
-HOWEVER, bowlbys 44 thieves probably had no money, poverty and struggled to survive so had to steal

Question 11

What can a graph on affectionless psychopathy and maternal separation tell you?

Answer 11

-strong correlation
-however there may be EVs e.g
trauma, poverty, pro theft family norms

Question 12

evaluation of maternal dep
strengths

Answer 12

(evidence for maternal dep)
-skeels and dye= lack of emotional care can harm intellectual development
-children with low IQ improved after adoption
-tested by SKODAK and SKEELS after 1.5yrs of orphan grp fell but adopted group rose from 64 to 92 points
-RUTTER ET AL 2011- IQ lower for those in romanian orpahange as opposed to those adopted
(-real world application)
-change in care manuals- began recommending plenty of love
-take into account emotional needs
-not moved around foster homes allows for attachment to form
-encourage visiting kids in hosp

Question 13

evaluation of maternal dep
weakness

Answer 13

(controversial application)
-mother encouraged to stay home, contradicted gender equality
-evidence was very flawed, some confounding variables not considered affecting results
(rutter)
-bowlby mixed deprivation(loss of mother) with privation (not having one at all)
(lewis)
-studied young people and found no link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation
(koluchova)
-studied twin** czech boys- found at 7 severe neglect and no adult care**
-recovered as they created early bonding and language opportunities for eachother.