Bowlby's maternal deprivation theory

• what are 3 limitations of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation and a counterargument?

  • the poor quality of the evidence the theory is based on (bowlby conducted his own interviews and Goldfarb's study on children in wartime orphanages had confounding variables)
  • counterargument = new research has supported deprivation (levy 2003 rat study)
  • one limitation is confusion between different types of early experience on deprivation and privation
  • bowlby's idea of the critical period is more of a sensitive period (Czech twins)
• what did maternal deprivation focus on?

  continual presence of care from a mother is essential for normal development of babies
• explain the difference of separation and deprivation?

  separation is when the baby isn't in the presence of the primary attachment figure and deprivation is when there is no emotional care. Extended separations can lead to deprivation.
• Explain what is meant by the critical period?


  The first 2 and a half years of a babies life. Bowlby said that if the child is separated and deprived of emotional care for an extended duration during this period then psychological damage was inevitable.
• give 2 ways maternal deprivation can affect development?

  • intellectual development
  • emotional development
• Explain what happens when intellectual development is affected?

  if children were deprived they would have an abnormally low IQ.

  has been demonstrated by Goldfarb who found lower IQ in children who remained in institutions .
• explain what happens when emotional development is affected?


  Affectionless psychopathy as the inability to experience guilt or strong emotions towards others.

  prevents people from developing fulfilling relationships and associated with criminality.
• Describe the procedure of the 44 thieves study?

  44 criminal teenagers were interviewed for signs of affectionless psychopathy

  their families were also interviewed to see whether they had prolonged separation from their mothers

  sample was compared to control group of 44 non criminal but emotionally disturbed teenagers
• describe the findings of the 44 thieves study?


  found that 14 of the 44 thieves were affectionless psychopaths and 12 of these experienced prolonged separation

  only 5 of the remaining 30 thieves experienced separations.

  only 2 participants in control group had experienced long separations/

  concluded prolonged separation caused affectionless psychopathy