Maternal deprivation theory

• What is maternal deprivation theory and who proposed it?

  • Bowlby proposed the theory
  • emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between mother and infant because of loss of care
  • if occurs during critical period, will result in psychological damage
• Separation meaning what in terms of maternal deprivation?

  • Child not in presence of primary attachment figure
  • Brief separation doesn't have negative impact if subsequent care provided
• What is deprivation in maternal deprivation?

  • When child does not receive emotional care despite parent being present
  • extended separation can lead to deprivation
• What is privation in maternal deprivation?

  • Failure to form an attachment at all
  • no parent or care at all
• What was Goldfarbs study of effects of maternal deprivation on intellectual development?

  • 30 orphaned children
  • Longitudinal study
  • Followed up until 12 years old
  • half adopted before 4 months, other half in orphanage

  AVG IQ at 12:

  • Fostered group = 96
  • Orphanage group = 68
• What is affectionless psychopathy?

  Inability to experience guilt or strong emotion towards others. Associated with criminality
• What was Bowlby's 44 thieves study?

  Aim: examine link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal deprivation

  • Sample of 44 criminals and 44 non-criminals
  • criminals interviews for signs of affectionless psychopathy and families interviewed for maternal deprivation
  • 14 classes as affectionless psychopaths
  • of the 14, 12 had prolonged seperation during their critical period
• What was the Czech twins study process?

  • Twins who lost mother after birth
  • Fostered at 16 months, signs of normal development
  • abused when father remarried, locked away and beaten
  • at age 7: dwarfed, lacking speech, rickets, not understanding pictures
  • went through support and school
  • age 11: speech normal
  • age 15: IQ normal
• What are the conclusions of the Czech twin study?

  Maternal deprivation can be overcome
• What is one strength and three limitations of the maternal deprivation theory?

  STRENGTH:

  • Real world applications

  LIMITATIONS:

  • Investigator effects (researching confirmation bias)
  • Oversimplified concept
  • Evidence against (Czech twin study)