Evaluate Bowlby’s methodology and procedures (8)

• Para 1: lack of causal conclusions

  • P: one major limitation of Bowlby’s study is that it cannot establish causation between maternal deprivation and affectionless psychopathy.

  • E: bowlby did not manipulate variables; merely identified a correlation between early separation and emotional problems in children.

  • E: means other factors, like family conflict or pre-existing emotional difficulties , could have caused the separations and later behavioural issues. in some cases, difficult temperament might led to separation in first place

  • L: therefore, while bowlby‘s study suggests a link between separation and emotional disturbance, cannot prove that one caused the other, reducing its scientific validity
• Para 2: bias in data

  • P: Another methodological issue is data collected was potentially biased and unreliable

  • E: bowlby relied heavily on retrospective accounts from parents and own subjective interpretations during interviews

  • E: recollections based on events from many years earlier and may have been distorted to present family in a better light. Additionally, bowlby’s own belief in importance of early experiences may have influenced how he interpreted and recorded the info.

  • L: undermines objectivity of findings and suggests study may reflect bowlby’s expectations more than children’s true developmental histories