Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

• 44 thieves study

  -Aim: to investigate if maternal deprivation resulted in affectionless psychopathy.

  -Procedure: Bowlby studies 88 children who were maladjusted. 44 were referred to Bowlby because they have emotional problems. Both groups were matched in terms of age and IQ to stop extraneous variables.
• 44 thieves study

  -14/44 of the thieves were categorised as affectionless psychopaths. He found out that 12/14 suffered prolonged separation from their mother in critical period (2 years).

  -0/14 of the emotional problem group were affectionless psychopaths and 2 suffered prolonged separation from mothers.

  -Conclusion: findings indicate experiencing disrupted attachments in early life relates to crime.
• Maternal deprivation

  -Frequent and prolonged separation from maternal care and emotional support during critical period (0-2.5 years).
• Law of accumulated separation

  -every separation a child accumulates and will have more problems.

  -The consequences of prolonged separation are irreversible.
• Consequences if maternal deprivation

  -Delinquency

  -Problems forming relationships

  -Lower cognitive ability

  -Affectionless psychopathy