Psychodynamic - The mother as primary care-giver

Question 1

Feeding (For)

Answer 1

NHS Recommneds - Infants breastfed for at least the first 6 months, this offers the healthiest start for infants as it protects them from numerous infections + diseases. It can also build a strong physical and emotional bond between mother and baby.

Question 2

Feeding (Against)

Answer 2

Number of studies show that food does not equal love. Harlow (1959) placed infant monkeys with two wire ‘mothers,’ the monkey spent more time with cloth mother even more when it was frightened. Primary attachments were formed from the most interaction.

Question 3

Freud’s views (For)

Answer 3

Mothers are important for the initial oral stage of development, infants depend on their mother to satisfy their libido. In 1938, Freud wrote that the infant’s relationship with the mother was ‘unique and without parallel.’

Question 4

Freud’s views (Against)

Answer 4

Freud’s views are historical, when he was writing this women did not have the right to vote. His ideas about gender roles may simply reflect social norms in the early half of the 20th century.

Question 5

Deprivation damage (For)

Answer 5

Separation is likely to lead to an affectionless character, such character is more likely to become a thief. Bowlby noted ‘Mother love in infancy is just as important for a child’s mental health, as vitamins and minerals are for physical health’. This is the maternal deprivation hypothesis

Question 6

Deprivation damage (Against)

Answer 6

Although Bowlby used the term ‘maternal’ he did not mean it exclusively to the child’s mother. Bowlby stated that Mothering is not exclusive to the child’s mother.

Question 7

Mothers not Fathers (For)

Answer 7

Most men are not psychologically equipped to form this kind of intense emotional relationship. In biology the female hormone oestrogen underlies caring behaviour so women are more oriented towards emotional relationships than men.

Question 8

Mother not Fathers (Against)

Answer 8

Single parent (male) families proves that men are quire capable of forming close attachments with their children. Thew view that men are not emotional is outdated. Gettler et al (2011) suggests that a father’s testosterone level drops in order to help ‘a man respond more sensitively to his children’s needs.’