Bowlby's Theory of Maternal Deprivation

• :) RTS Bowlby

  > interviewed 44 juvenile thieves to see if they had signs of affectionless psychopathy, then interviewed the parents to see if there were any long periods of separation within the critical period

  > those who had affectionless psychopathy were more likely to have experienced long separation, where an element of care was lost

  > supports theory of maternal deprivation

  discussion - based on retrospective data
• :( RTC Lewis

  > replicated the juvenile thieves study with 500 young people

  > found early prolonged separation from the mother did not predict criminality or difficulty forming close relationships

  > contradicts theory of maternal deprivation
• :( practical applications

  > the principle of the theory, that there are potential negative consequences of separation from a caregiver in early life, has led to changes in society e.g. hospitals changing visiting hours and letting parents stay overnight to reduce intellectual and emotional issues

  > important part of applied psychology

  discussion - economic implications (less criminal activity)