Theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

What is Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 1

A theory that suggests that being seperated or deprived from a mother in early childhood has seriosu consequences

Question 2

What is the definition of seperation?

Answer 2

The child hasn’t been in the presence of their primary attachment figure

Question 3

What did Bowlby believe would happen if a child was seperated during their critical period?

Answer 3

The child would suffer psychological damage with a continuing risk up to the age of 5

Question 4

What are the 2 effects on development?

Answer 4

• Lack of intellectual development
• Lack of emotional development

Question 5

Lack of intellectual development

Answer 5

This could be shown by low IQ and struggling with classwork

Question 6

Lack of emotional development

Answer 6

Affectionless psychopaths - struggle with showing guilt or strong emotions towards others

Question 7

What did Bowlby’s 44 thieves study look at?

Answer 7

The link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation

Question 8

What was the procedure of the 44 thieves study?

Answer 8

• 44 teenagers accused of stealing.
• They were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy.
• Families were also interviewed to establish if they had prolonged early seperations from their mothers.
• Sample was compared to a control group of 44 non-criminal but emotionally disturbed young people.

Question 9

What did the 44 thieves study find?

Answer 9

• 14/44 thieves were described as ‘affectionless psychopaths’.
• 12 of those had experienced seperation from their mothers in the first 2 years of their lives.
• Only 5/30 remaining thieves had experienced seperations.

Question 10

Limitation - Flawed evidence

Answer 10

• Bowlby’s 44 thieves study was flawed as he carried out the study himself.
• Left it open to bias as he knew in advance which teenagers he expected to show signs of psychopathy.
• Wouldn’t be taken as serious evidence nowadays.

Question 11

Limitation - privation and deprivation

Answer 11

• There is confusion between different types of early experiences.
• Rutter drew a difference between the 2 types.
• Deprivation = the loss of the PAF after attachment has developed.
• Privation = the inability to form an attachment in the first place.

Question 12

Limitation - critical vs sensitive period

Answer 12

• Critical of Bowlby’s idea of a critical period.
• There is evidence to suggest that good quality aftercare can prevent damage.
• The Czech twins study: suffered emotional and physical abuse from 18 months.
• They experienced excellent care and recovered fully.