Bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

Outline Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 1

• Bowlby suggested if a infant experiences prolonged deprivation from their primary caregiver they have formed an attachment with before they were 2.5 years of age they would suffer cognitively, emotionally, develop behavioural disorders and have difficulty forming relationships.
• Their cognitive development would suffer and therefore this will lead to mental retardation characterised by low IQ.
• Their emotional development would suffer and they would become affectionless psychopaths as a result of them not being able to experience any guilt or strong emotions from others.

Question 2

Outline the Aim, method, findings and conclusion of Bowlby’s research into maternal deprivation

Answer 2

Aim: To investigate if early separation between the caregiver and their infant developed any behavioural disorders within the infant such as affectionless psychopathy.

Method:

• Bowlby studied children from the ages of 5 to 16 in the psychological clinic he worked at in London
• he gathered 44 children who were criminals guilty of theft and this made up the experimental group.
• he gathered 44 children who were non criminals and this made up the control group.
• he interviewed the children and their families to gather data on their early childhood experiences and if they had experienced any prolonged separation from their primary caregiver.

Findings:
-He found that 14 of the 44 criminals from the experimental group were affectionless psychopaths and 12 of the 14 had experienced early prolonged seperation from their primary caregiver.

-None of the none criminals from the control group were affectionless psychopaths and they did not experience any prolonged early separation from their caregiver

Conclusion: There is a link between early prolonged separation and the development of behavioural disorders and if it does occur the chances of developing affectionless psychopathy increases.

Question 3

AO3 paragraphs for Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 3

• methodological issues (interview)
• practical application (hospitals)
• Lewis (strength of attachment)
• correlational