Privation

Question 1

AO1/Description

Answer 1

• Privation is a lack of an attachment figure
• Attachment is never formed
• Cases of severe neglect, such as Genie, show privation as it is said that she never had the opportunity to bond with her parent as she was isolated from family members from a very young age

AO3 discusses if it can be overcome

Question 2

AO3 Curtiss

Answer 2

The study found that her privation was not reversible because she did not develop typical language use/social behaviour/physical development for her age

Question 3

AO3 Limited devlopment

Answer 3

The study found that her privation was partly reversible because she developed some language, attached to key figures and developed some social skills.

Question 4

AO3 Critical Stage

Answer 4

However, her grammar never achieved beyond that of a toddler, suggesting that there was a critical stage for grammar and this was not reversible

Question 5

AO3 Change in carer

Answer 5

She regressed when moved into different foster care, suggesting lack of reversibility, although it could be due to the change of attachments

Question 6

-AO3 Generalisabilty

Answer 6

Privation data gathered by this case study and other case studies may not apply to other individuals/Genie’s condition was unique and you cannot generalise the results to the wider population so we cannot be certain of reversibility as all individuals are unique

Question 7

-AO3 The sleep spindle research

Answer 7

suggested mental retardation from birth so reversibility was not possible.
Genie was said to have learning difficulties by her doctor from birth so not a result of privation although this was questioned so results lack validity

Question 8

AO3 Koluchova (1972)

Answer 8

found that in the case of the Czech twin privation was reversible as by the age of 20 both twins had secure relationships and had jobs, with them having an average IQ by the age of 14.

Compared to the Czech twins Genie showed a poorer outcome despite good quality care possibly due to lack of sibling to attach to.

The Czech twins were able to show reversibility due to high quality of care by the individuals who cared for them.

The Czech twins/Bulldog Banks case showed reversibility because they were found at an earlier age than Genie.

Czech twins also had one another (and the twins had a bond with their mother/aunt) therefore it might not really be a case of privation

Question 9

+AO3 Freud & Dann (1951)

Answer 9

found that children who had survived concentration camps were able to form attachments to staff members at the clinic they went to for rehabilitation, and all but one seemed to develop normal adult relationships.

Freud & Dann’s study was a case study of unique children at a unique point in time, so the results may not be true of other children who have suffered privation.

Question 10

AO3 Tizard (1989)

Answer 10

found that children who had been in institutional care and then adopted were able to form attachments to their adoptive parents, though they had trouble forming relationships outside of the adoptive family.

The results of Tizard’s study may not be true today as at the time the institutions had a high staff turnover, and close relationships were discouraged, whereas, now we know how important it is to form close relationships with children in institutional care.

Question 11

AO3 The Bulldogs Bank children

Answer 11

improved after they were found, though some had later emotional issues so reversibility was largely true in this case

showed reversibility because they were found at an earlier age than Genie.

also had one another (and the twins had a bond with their mother/aunt) therefore it might not really be a case of privation.