BOWLBY MATERNAL DEPRIVATION

• what does Bowlby’s maternal deprivation theory state?

  continued emotional care is essential fir normal emotions and intellectual development
• what may separation lead to?

  maternal deprivation
• what does separation mean?

  the child not being physically in the presence of the primary attachment figure
• what done’s deprivation mean?

  losing emotional care as a result of separation
• how can deprivation be avoided?

  if alternative emotional care is offered
• What is the critical period?

  2.5 years, if a child is separated for an extended time then psychological damage is inevitable
• what is the sensitive period?

  5 years, attachment can still form but it would take longer
• What is the internal working model?

  children from functional families tend to have functional families themselves
• what are the consequences of maternal deprivation?

  lower IQ (intellectual)

  Affectionless psychopathy (emotional)
• What is the effect on intellectual development?

  Lower IQ - may lead to mental retardation
• What was Goldfinch’s study?

  found lower IQs in children from institutions compared to fostered children
• what is the effect on emotional development?

  affectionless psychopathy - the inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others

  Prevents the person developing normal relationships and is associated with criminality
• 44 thieves procedure

  44 delinquent teenagers, accused of stealing

  interviewed for signs of affection less psychopathy (lack of affection, guilt and empathy)

  families interviewed to establish any prolonged separations from mothers
• 44 thieves findings

  14 of 44 described as affectionless psychopaths

  12 off these had experienced prolonged separation from mother in first 2 years

  only 5 of remaining 30 had experienced prolonged separation
• 44 thieves conclusions

  Prolonged early separation/deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy
• Limitation

  sources of evidence are flawed

  44 thieves - biased as Bowlby assessed deprivation and psychopathy, knowing what he hoped to find (1944)

  Goldfarb study of wartime orphans - used Participants who were traumatised, lacked good aftercare. Confounding Variable (1943)

  Bowlby had no solid evidence to base theory on
• strength

  Counterpoints to flawed evidence -

  2003 Levy et al, separating baby rats for one day had permanent effect on social development
• limitation

  Bowlby confused deprivation and privation

  Rutter made distinction, privation is much more serious. the children Bowbly studied and others he based ideas on may have been prived
• what is privation?

  failure to form an attachment
• limitation

  critical period is more of a sensitive period

  Koluchova - case study of twin boys isolated from 18 months |(locked in cupboard) later were looked after by two loving adults. Recovered fully

  shows severe deprivation can have positive outcomes
• limitation

  conflicting evidence

  Replications of 44 thieves have failed to reproduce his findings on psychopathy however more recent research found links between poor maternal care and adult psychopathy. link is unclear