Classic evidence- Bowlby Flashcards
What is the classic evidence?
Bowlby 1944
44 Juvenile thieves: there characters and home life
What did bowlby say about mothers?
Mothers love in infancy for mental health as vitamins are for physical health
What is maternal deprivation?
When a child has formed an attachment with their primary caregiver but then its lost langlancy, permanently or separation
e.g. fostercare, hospital, illness or work
Bowlby’s theory on maternal deprivation?
-If an infant develops a warm intimate and continuous relationship with their mother and this is lost then the child will have difficulty later on in life
-Maternal bond must occur at 2 1/2, this is the critical period, this is like being fed, changed or cuddled
-Child will become disturbed if there’s no maternal care also known as mentally ill
Methodology- what was this study?
a case study
What is a case study?
-A detailed study of one person or a group of people over a long period of time (longitudinal)
-A detailed description of behaviour and thoughts
-Can involve other research methods like interviews, test and observations
-Qualitative data
-Non experimental method so no iv or dv
Methodology- who were Bowlby’s sample?
44 ‘thieves’
44 non delinquent children (control group)
-mothers
Aim of study?
Association between delinquent behaviour and experiences from separation and mothers
Methodology- sample, 44 thieves, how did bowlby find them?
Opportunity sampling
Children with a stealing problem who were referred to a Child Guidance Clinic
Methodology- sample, 44 thieves, age?
5-17 years old
only a few had been charged in court due to there age
Methodology- sample, 44 thieves, gender?
31 boys
13 girls
Methodology- sample, 44 thieves, iq levels?
Measured on a binet scale
-50% average iq of 85-114 (average is 100)
-15 had a higher iq
-2 had low iqs
Methodology- sample, the control group, how were they found?
Referred to clinic for emotional disturbance
not thieves
Methodology- sample, the control group, characteristics?
All similar age, iq and economic status
Methodology- sample, the mothers?
Both the control group and thieves involved to give background info on the children and the case history
Procedure- what is the sampling method?
Opportunity
Procedure- step 1?
Each child is given a mental test by the psychologist to assess their intelligence on a binet scale
Psychologist also noted emotional attitude of child
Procedure- step 2?
At the same time as step 1
Social worker is interviewing the child’s mother and recording plenary debate of the child’s early psych history
Procedure- step 3?
Psychologist and social worker report to the psychiatrist (Bowlby) who then interviewed the child and the mother
Procedure- step 4?
After 2 hour examination, the team consider school and other reports after conclusion
Procedure- step 5?
The therapy of it means weekly for 6 months the child meets up with psychiatrist, and the mother talks with the social worker
A case history is recorded and the psychiatrist can diagnose the child’s emotional problem
Findings- character types?
Bowlby recognised that it was necessary to distinguish between different possible character types to determine what previous factors that might have caused children to steal
Bowlby’s overall view is that children fit into 6 main personality types
Findings- what are the character types?
-Normal: children whose characters appear fairly normal and stable- 2 of these
-Depressed: children who have been unstable and are in a depressed state of mind- 9 of these
-Circular: unstable children who show alternating depression and over activity- 2 of these
-Hyperthymic: children who demonstrate constant overactivity- 13 of these
-Affectionless: children who lack normal affection, shame or sense of responsibility- 14 of these
-Schizoid: children who show marked schizoid or schizophrenic symptoms- 4 of these
Findings- what personality type do we focus on
Affectionless
children who lack normal affection, shame or sense of responsibility
14 of these
Findings- were there affectionless thieves in the control group?
no
shows huge significance of maternal deprivation thesis and effect on crime
Findings- how many of the affectionless thieves experienced separation from their mothers?
12
Findings- what grade of stealing were the affectionless thieves in?
Grade 3- 1
Grade 4- 13
Findings- out of the other thieves how many of them experienced prolonged separation from their mothers?
only 3
Findings- how did the mothers describe the children after speration?
Like looking after someone else’s baby
Findings what happened with the thieves that hadn’t experienced separation?
Had ambient relationships with their mothers
Mothers described them as irritable, anxious fussy and hostile
Findings- what are some other factors for being a thief?
Genetics
4 of the thieves had psychotic parents, 2 had psychotic grandparents
Only 22 had normal parents and grandparents
Findings- factors for thievery?
In majority of findings had these factors
-Genetics
-Separation
-Ambient mother’s
-Hatred from fathers
-Traumatic events
Overall findings?
Most common factor was genetics, separation of mother and having ambient mothers
-Factors present in 40% of dases, but these incident varied between character types
Case study- History of Derek?
Was 6 and referred due to persistent truenting, pilfering and staying out late
-Had a happy healthy family and was a wanted child
-Normal till 18 months where he got diphtheria causing him to be seperated from family for 9 months unvisited
-Everyone loved derek at the hospital
-When he returned home he wasn’t normal, he refused to eat and was left to starve causing unattachment
Case study- personality of derek?
-Didn’t care for anybody except his older brother
-Happiest when alone
-Teacher referred to hi as a very controlled boy
-Called his mother ‘nurse for a while’
-Unmoved by affection of punishment
-He loved and was always fighting his brother
-His teacher said he was untruthful and annoyed other children
Case study- truancy and crime?
-Started school at age 4 and hated his teacher leading to truenting
Began pilfering after stealing at his school
-At age 4 1/2 he used to steal from teachers desk and shops
-All the money he stole he would spend it on sweets for him and his brother
-Repeatedly beaten at home and school but this had no affect on him
Case study- exam?
Had an iq of 125
slow careful and deliberate in words/work
-Psychiatrist labeled him as a social and engaging child with destructive tendency’s
Case study- Diagnosis?
Unresponsive and hard boldness points to affectionless thieve
Conclusion 1?
Bowlby is doubtful whether a law-abiding affectionless character exist
‘it’s probably true to say that the affectionless character always steals (Derek) and become recidivist (reoffenders)’
Conclusion 2?
The affectionless thieves have a ‘remarkably distinctive early history- prolonged separations from their mothers or foster mothers
(the affectionless thieves = experienced more maternal deprivation
Conclusion 3?
Children who steal persistently are of an affectionless character, which has resulted from the having suffered prolonged separation from their mothers during early childhood (caused by maternal deprivation)
Conclusion 4?
Bowlby concluded that children would not have become offenders if they did not experience that were harmful to healthy development
Bowlby supported the psychodynamic view that early experience are vital in later development
(Links to childhood experiences assumption 3, stages were deprived)
Conclusion 5?
Bowlby proposed that damage damage to the environment development would affect the development of the personality leading to reduced sense of what is right or wrong
This research takes places emphasis on psychoanalytic factors (material deprivation- lack of superego) affecting the likelihood of juvenile delinquency
Conclusion 6?
Bowlby stated that there are many children over the age of 4 and 5 who are adaptable and do adjust to adverse circumstances.
Unsatisfactory environments in early years are compatible with both social and antisocial behaviour, so the answer must lie in the character development in the first few years of my life
It may be adverse environment in early years that is responsible for the emotional disturbance and delinquent reaction of these children
(Beyond 5- adaptable beyond the critical period Bowlby suggested 2 1/2 years)
Conclusion 7?
Bowlby argued that through stealing, the child’s hopes for emotional satisfaction to compensate for the trauma associated with prolonged separation
-From earliest day, emotional satisfaction is associated with obtaining possession of things e.g. milk and toys. If this craving is un-satisfied then it later presents itself of symbolic stealing)
