Bowlby (1944)- found that 86% of affectionless psychopaths had experienced maternal deprivation compared to 17% of the thieves who were not affectionless psychopaths.
Practical applications
Has led to changes in hospital visiting policies and adoption policies. For the changes in hospital visiting policies parents are encouraged to stay with their child. For adoption policies children are adopted as young as possible.
Contradictory evidence
Lewis (1954)- found after replicating Bowlby's study on a larger scale that prolonged separation from the mother did not predict criminality or difficulty in forming close relationships.
Contradictory evidence
Koluchova (1976)- found that when Czech twins were isolated from 18 months to 7 years. Later they were looked after by a loving family and recovered fully.
Confused privation and deprivation
The severe long term damage discussed is more likely to be a result of privation- never having formed an attachment bond than deprivation- when the bond is made but disrupted or broken.
