Privation Flashcards
What is privation?
Lack of an attachment figure
Attachment is never formed
Did Curtiss find that Genie’s privation was reversible?
Partly: developed some attachment to key figures, (e.g. the researchers who investigated her) and developed some social skills
Regressed when she was moved into foster care, suggesting lack of reversibility, BUT could be due to the change of attachments
What aspects of Genie did Curtiss find were not developed?
Social behaviour and physical development
e.g. learnt some basic words but could not learn grammar beyond the capability of a toddler so there is a critical stage for grammar to be learned which is irreversible
Why can Curtiss’ case on Genie be considered the only one who full experienced privation?
Found a lot later than the other case studies and was completely alone
Why might Curtiss’ case of Genie’s difficulties not be due to privation?
Was said to have learning difficulties by her doctor from birth ALTHOUGH this diagnosis was questioned
Sleep spindle research suggested mental retardation from birth, objective measure
Possible extraneous variables
Why might Curtiss’ case of Genie’s struggles of learning to walk correctly not be due to privation?
Due to physical issues from being strapped down, rather than not ‘learning’ it
Why can the results of Curtiss’ case of Genie not be generalised to the wider population?
Genie’s condition was unique so we cannot be certain of reversibility as all individuals are different
How were the Koluchova’s case of Czech twins when they were found?
Found at 7 years old: severely physically and
mentally retarded
Hadn’t been taught to speak
No knowledge of eating habits
Very frightened of people
Estimated that their IQ would have been in the 40s
How does Koluchova’s case of the Czech twins show that privation is reversible?
At 11: speech was normal for their age
At 15: emotional state and IQ were normal
At 20: both twins had secure
relationships and had jobs
Being fostered by a warm caring mother reversed emotional/attachment/intellectual abilities
How were the children at the start of Bull Dogs Bank study (Freud & Dann)?
Totally devoted to each other
Did everything together
Refused to be separated for any reason
Could form attachments but may be unhealthy
What did Freud & Dann find about the children by the end of the Bull Dogs Bank study?
Children who had survived concentration camps were able to form attachments to staff members at the clinic they went to for rehabilitation
All but one seemed to develop normal adult relationships
What did Tizard find in regards to privation?
Children who had been in institutional care and then adopted were able to
form attachments to their adoptive parents
Trouble forming relationships outside of the adoptive family, as well as with their own siblings
What did teachers rate the children of Tizard’s case as?
More often quarrelsome, less often liked by other children and bullied other children more than the
comparison group
Why might Koluchova’s case of Czech twins and Tizard’s study not be a case of privation?
Children had one another so we don’t know if the reversibility is valid as it could be deprivation rather than privation
Why might the results of Freud & Dann’s Bull Dog Banks study not be true of other children who have suffered privation?
Case study of unique children at a unique point in time
(war)
