Bowlby's maternal deprivation

• What does Deprivation mean?

  When a bond that has been formed is broken and an element of care is taken away, which is long-term.
• Deprivation from the caregiver during the critical period will have harmful effects on a child’s emotional, social, physical and intellectual development.

  • Intellectual development: slow with an abnormally low IQ
  • Emotional development: struggle to develop relationships and may lead to affectionless psychopathy (inability to feel guilt) – associated with criminality
  • Can lead to delinquency
  • Once a child has been maternally deprived, the effects are irreversible
  • Critical period was extended to 2 ½ years
• What was the aim for Bowlby's 44 thieves' study (1944)?

  Examine the links between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation.
• What was the method for Bowlby's 44 thieves' study (1944)?

  Interviewed 44 teenagers, that were accused of stealing, for signs of affectionless psychopathy. Their families were also interviewed for prolonged separation from their mothers. The control group was non-criminal teens with emotional problems that were assessed for maternal deprivation.
• What was the results for Bowlby's 44 thieves' study (1944)?



  14/44 thieves were affectionless psychopaths – 12 of these had experienced prolonged separation from their caregiver in the first 2 years of life. Comparing this to the control group, 0/44 non-thieves were affectionless psychopaths. 17/44 thieves had maternal deprivation vs 2/44 non-thieves who had maternal deprivation.
• What was the conclusion for Bowlby's 44 thieves' study (1944)?

  Maternal deprivation can lead to delinquency. The critical period was extended to 2 ½ years, and if deprivation happens during that time, there

  will be psychological damage. The effects of maternal deprivation are irreversible – delayed intellectual and emotional development.
• What is a strength of Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory?

  Real life application

  • His research has helped us understand more about children who come from social care services/orphanages and therefore help them get the support they need = beneficial research.
• What is a limitation of Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory?

  Ethical implications of inclusivity

  • His research doesn’t account for homosexual parents (2 fathers). The gender bias shows he hasn’t been inclusive of all situations = limits the application.
• What is a limitation if Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory?

  Biased research

  • Bowlby created the theory and then carried out the research for it. Therefore, of course his research will support his theory, which may not be true = unreliable results