theory of maternal deprivation

• who proposed the theory of maternal deprivation

  Bowlby (1953)
• what is the basis of the theory of maternal deprivation

  emphasizes the crucial role of a consistent and nurturing relationship with a primary caregiver

  if this bond is disrupted during the critical period in early childhood, it can lead to severe and long-lasting negative consequences
• what is the difference of separation and deprivation

  separation= child not being in the presence of the primary attachment figure

  separation only becomes a problem if the child becomes deprived of emotional care

  extended separations can lead to deprivation
• what is Bowlby's critical period

  6months to 2 1/2 years

  if the children is deprived of emotional care from the mother psychological damage is inevitable

  continuing risk up to age 5
• what are the effects on development of maternal deprivation

  intellectual development

  emotional development
• what the the effect of maternal deprivation on intellectual development

  Bowlby believed if children are deprived during the critical period they would experience delayed intellectual development

  abnormally low IQ
• what is Goldfarb (1947) find about intellectual development

  followed 30 orphaned children to age 12

  half of orphans= fostered by age of 4 months

  found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions opposed to those who were fostered

  fostered children= higher standard of emotional care
• what the the effect of maternal deprivation on emotional development

  Bowlby identified affectionless psychopathy= the inability to experience guilt or strong emotions towards others

  prevents a person developing fulfilling relationships and is associated with criminality
• Bowlby's (1944) thieves study aim

  to examine the link between affection less psychopathy and maternal deprivation
• Bowlby's (1944) thieves study procedure

  44 criminal teenager thieves

  all thieves interviewed for signs of affection less psychopathy

  interviewed thieves families to establish if there had been prolonged early separations from mother

  control group= 44 non-criminals but emotionally disturbed teenagers
• Bowlby's thieves study findings

  14/44 thieves= affectionless psychopaths

  12 of the 14= experienced prolonged separation from mothers with first 2 years of life

  5/30 remaining theives= experienced separations

  control group= only 2/44 experienced long separations
• what did Bowlby concluded about maternal deprivation

  concluded prolonged early separation/deprivation caused affectionless psychopathy
• strengths of theory of maternal deprivation

  acts as foundation for attachment theory

  real world impact

  can be used to understand impacts of negligence
• limitations of theory of maternal deprivation

  researcher bias

  flaws in sources of evidence

  overestimated effacers of deprivation

  criticism of critical period - Koluchova (1976)
• what was the research of Koluchova (1976)

  observed Czech twins who had experienced severe physical and emotional abouse from age 18 months until 7 years old

  with excellent care the twins had fully recovered by their teens

  means critical period is more of a sensitive period