9. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

• 1. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

  Bowlby:

  • Continuous care from mother essential for development.
  • Prolonged Separation - emotional/intellectual damage.
  • Babies only deprived if element of mother’s care completely lost.
• 2. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

  Critical Period:

  • First 2.5yrs.
  • Deprived in this time, w/ no suitable substitute, psychological harm.
• 3. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

  Effects on Development - Intellectual Development:

  • Maternal dep. causes low IQ.
  • Goldfarb (1947), fostered babies higher IQ than those still in care.

  Effects on Development - Emotional Development:

  • ‘Affectionless psychopathy‘ prevents development of normal relationships.
  • Associated w/ criminality.
  • Lack empathy/remorse.
• 3a. Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

  Bowlby’s (1944) - 44 Thieves:

  • 44 criminal teens (stealing).
  • Interviewed signs of affectionless psychopathy.
  • Family interviewed to see if any deprivation in childhood.
  • Control group comparison.
  • 14/44 = affectionless psychopathy.
  • 12/14 = maternal dep. (critical period).
  • Control group, 2/44 w/ maternal dep.
• Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - theory based on poor quality evidence.

  E - 44 Thieves flawed as Bowlby carried out interviews/assessments for affectionless psychopathy so bias; knew who’d show signs of it.

  E - Bowlby influenced by Goldfarb’s (1947) research but there were confounding variables.

  L - flawed = not taken seriously as evidence.
• Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation (Evaluation)

  Strength:

  P - research support maternal dep. having long-term effects.

  E - Levy et al. (2003), separating baby rats from mother = permanent effect social dev.

  L - other sources support Bowlby.
• Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - confusion between diff types early experience.

  E - Rutter (1981), two types negative experience - deprivation and privation (failure form any att. at all).

  E - Rutter argues long-term damage Bowlby speaks of is likely privation.

  L - Bowlby overestimated seriousness of effects in deprivation.
• Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - critical period.

  E - quality aftercare prevents damage.

  E - case of Czech twins; physical/emotional abuse until 7y/o, received after care = teens, fully recovered.

  L - critical p better as ’sensitive period’.