Lesson 7 - Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Depreciation

Question 1

Maternal Deprivation

Answer 1

Bowlby (1953) said children suffering from prolonged emotional deprivation of primary attachment figure will have long term intellectual, social and emotional difficulties and even mental health issues
Continuity hypothesis states effects are irreversible and continue to adulthood due to lack of internal working model causing inability to parent well

Negative impact occurs if separation occurs before child is 2.5 years old (critical period)
Risk up to 5 years (sensitive period) and no substitute mother-figure to take over emotional care

Question 2

Bowlby (1944) Procedure

Answer 2

Analysed case histories of number of his patients
All children attending clinic were emotionally maladjusted
Studies 88 children, half whom been caught stealing and half control group
Bowlby suggested 14 of thieves were affectionless psychopaths: lacked affection, shame, responsibility

Question 3

Bowlby (1944) Findings

Answer 3

Found those with affectionsless psychopaths experience early separations from mothers
12 of affectionless psychopaths experienced frequent separations from mothers compared with only 5 out of 30 of the thieves not classed as affectionless psychopaths
Almost none of control group experienced early separations

Question 4

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation Points

Answer 4

Hospitals
Spitz (1945)
Skodak and Skeeles (1949)
Tizard et al. (1989)
Privation

Question 5

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation
Hospitals
Positive

Answer 5

Before Bowlby’s (1953) theory, hospitals would not allowed parents to visit children
Often had a profound and damaging effect on child
Today, parents are encouraged to stay in hospital with children

Question 6

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation
Spitz (1945)
Positive

Answer 6

Examined children raised in poor quality orphanages in South America
Members of staff were overworked, undertrained and rarely gave children attention or affection
Children displayed anaclitic depression

Question 7

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation
Skodak and Skeeles (1949)
Positive

Answer 7

Found children placed in institutions that only looked after them physically scored poorly on intelligence tests
However, when same children were transferred to a different institution which have emotional care, IQ scores improved by almost 30 points

Question 8

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation
Tizard et al. (1989)
Negative

Answer 8

Effects of maternal deprivation have shown to be reversible
Children who had never formed attachments were adopted after age of four were still able to form attachments to their new parents

Question 9

Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation Evaluation
Privation
Negative

Answer 9

Bowlby did not distinguish deprivation and privation
Deprivation - when attachment figure is lost
Privation - when child never formed attachment
Could be the latter that causes the extreme negative effects observed in some studies