Bowlby's Theory of Maternal Deprivation

• What happens to children if the mother-infant relationship is disrupted?

  They may face difficulties in adulthood
• Who's theory will be reviewed regarding maternal deprivation?

  John Bowlby's theory
• What is privation in the context of maternal care?

  Complete absence of any maternal care
• What tragic situation did Romanian babies face in the 1980s?

  They experienced maternal deprivation
• Why is having a primary attachment figure important?

  It provides a secure base for exploration
• What term did Bowlby use to describe an infant's bond with its mother?

  Monotropy
• What does Bowlby believe about the critical period for forming a monotropic bond?

  It lasts up to 30 months post-birth
• What are the consequences of maternal deprivation according to Bowlby?

  Severe problems in social situations
• What is affectional psychopathy?


  Lack of affection or care for others
• How does maternal deprivation affect intellectual development?

  It may lead to lower IQ scores
• What does the internal working model refer to in Bowlby's theory?

  Schema about how relationships work
• What does the continuity hypothesis suggest?

  Ineffective internal working model affects relationships
• What was the aim of Bowlby's 44 thieves study?

  To support maternal deprivation theory
• What did Bowlby find in his 44 thieves study?

  Thieves experienced prolonged separation from caregivers
• What is a limitation of Bowlby's research?

  It cannot establish causation
• How has Bowlby's attachment theory influenced public policy?

  Changed hospital visitor policies for children
• What economic implications arose from changes in attachment theory policies?

  Increased cost of nursery care
• What criticism exists regarding Bowlby's emphasis on maternal deprivation?

  It may reinforce traditional gender roles
• What did Schaffer and others find about infant attachments?

  Infants can form multiple strong attachments
• What is the difference between deprivation and privation?

  Deprivation is insufficient care; privation is none
• What was the situation of Romanian orphans after the revolution?

  Many were abandoned and lived in poor conditions
• What did Rutter's study reveal about the impacts of early privation?

  Age of adoption affects recovery ability
• What behavior did children adopted after 6 months display?

  Disinhibited attachment towards strangers
• What was the average IQ of children adopted after 24 months?

  77
• What did Rutter's study suggest about the critical period for recovery?

  First few years are a sensitive period
• What changes resulted from the findings of the Romanian orphan studies?


  Emphasis on early adoption and infant care
• What limitation exists in Rutter's study regarding adoption selection?

  Non-random nature of adoption selection
• What do other researchers suggest about the effects of institutionalization?


  Negative effects can be countered with intervention
• What did Hodges and Tizard's study find about adopted children?

  They fared better in behavior and peer interactions
• What did Goldfarb's 1947 investigation reveal?

  Early fostering enhances mental agility