Theory of Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

What is Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 1

Continual disruption of attachment between baby and primary caregiver (usually mother) could result in long term cognitive, social and emotional difficulties for that infant and the risk is particularly severe jf it is disrupted during the critical period

Question 2

Define key terms privation, deprivation and separation

Answer 2

Privation - complete absence of attachment
Deprivation - bond is significantly broken long term
Separation - bond is damaged short term and temporarily

Question 3

What are some of the long term consequences of maternal deprivation?

Answer 3

Delinquency
Reduced intelligence
Increased aggression
Depression
Affectionless psychopathy

Question 4

Bowlby Thieves Study

Answer 4

Aim - to investigate the long term effects of maternal deprivation - have delinquents suffered deprivation?

Procedure - 88 5-16 year olds from a London child guidance centre referred for stealing. 44 were thieves and interviewed for affectionless psychopathy - families also interviewed. 44 had not committed any crimes (control group)

Findings - (EXPERIMENTAL GROUP) 14/44 thieves were affectionless psychopaths and 17/44 had maternal deprivation. 86% (12/14) had prolonged separation in first two years of their life
(CONTROL GROUP) 4% (2/44) had early prolonged separation. None were affectionless psychopaths

Conclusion- disruption of attachment in early life causes later social and emotional problems. Long term effects - anti social behaviour and psychopathy

Question 5

Evidence for long term effects to maternal deprivation

Answer 5

Goldfarb - found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions than those fostered

Bifulco - found women who experienced maternal separation, 25% later experienced depression compared to 15% with no speration. MH problems more severe for children who had maternal separation before age 6

Harlow - research on monkeys showed they grew up with emotional and social issues such as self harming, being bullied by other monkeys, being aggressive and struggling to form attachments in the future.

Question 6

Evidence against long term effects of maternal deprivation

Answer 6

Weisner and Gallimore - mothers are the exclusive carers in only a very small percentage of people as often several people are involved in the care such as friends and extended family rejects single monotropy figure

Schaffer - evidence that children develop better with a mother who is happy in her work than a mother frustrated by staying at home.

Question 7

Genie Wilde Case Study - effects of privation

Answer 7

Genie was discovered at age 13 and had spent over 10 years locked in her room alone with no contact with anyone and was never spoken to. She was often tied to her potty or her crib and her father would abuse her.

Genie had issues with physical and intellectual development eg bunny walk, younger mental age, silent, aggression, hoarding but in some ways she recovered by learning new words and showing emotions like happy to sad when separated from one of the psychologists suggesting she formed an attachment. Some effects were however long lasting.

Ethical problems - Genie was exhausted, movement from many fostering homes where sometimes she was punished and psychologists took advantage to gain fame