individualistic theories - bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory

Question 1

bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory

Answer 1

• early childhood experiences with your mother are important
• children need a close, continuous relationship with their primary carer from birth to the age of 5 to develop normally
• broken/distant relationship with your mother when you are young = more likely to display feelings of rejection and loneliness
• if the mother-child attachment is broken through separation it can leave the child unable to form meaningful emotional relationships with others = AFFECTION-LESS PSYCHOPATHY
• if care is not continuous and there is maternal deprivation this leads to antisocial behaviour and criminal behaviour

Question 2

bowlby’s study

Answer 2

• bowlby studied 44 juvenile thieves referred to a child guidance clinic and compared them to 44 non-criminal children
• he found that 39% of young offenders experienced maternal deprivation during their first 5 years of life - compared with 5% of non-criminals

Question 3

STRENGTHS of bowlby’s theory

Answer 3

• bowlby’s research showed that more of his sample of juvenile criminals had suffered maternal deprivation (39%) compared to 5% of non criminals
• his work shows the need to consider the role of parent-child relationships in explaining criminality

Question 4

WEAKNESSES of bowlby’s theory

Answer 4

• only had a small sample size - 88 criminals + non-criminals
• RETROSPECTIVE STUDY - mothers and criminals had to accurately recall past - events rely on memory - problematic recalling emotive experiences
• 39% is a low percentage
• doesnt take into account others factors - maternal deprivation might not be the only cause of criminality
• bowlby overestimates how far early childhood experiences have a permanent effect on later behaviour