Deprivation Theory

• What is the difference between separation and deprivation?

  Separation is the child not being in the presence of the primary attachment figure. This will only become a problem if the child is deprived of emotional care (which can happen even if the mother is present). So deprivation is when the child is deprived of any form of care from the primary caregiver.
• Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis.

  It states that attachment to the primary care giver (mother) is essential. This attachment should be formed within the critical period. If deprivation occurs within the critical period, this may have severe negative psychological effects:

  • Social.
  • Emotional.
  • Intellectual.
  • Physical.
• Continuous relationships in Bowlby's Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis:

  Continuous relationships - Relationships that are discontinuous become unstable and less predictable, disrupting the development of the relationship.
• One of the effects of Maternal Deprivation is emotional:

  Affectionless Psychopathy - The inability to experience guilt or show remorse. An inability to show strong emotion towards others and this also leads to difficulties forming relationships
• One of the effects of Maternal Deprivation is social:

  A difficulty in forming relationships with others.
• One of the effects of Maternal Deprivation is cognitive:

  Abnormally low IQ - Goldfarb found a lower IQ in children who had been raised in institutions as opposed to those who were fostered.
• What was the sample in Bowlby's 44 theives study?

  44 criminal adolescents who were referred to a child protection program in London because of stealing.
• What was the procedure in Bowlby's 44 thieves study?

  The criminals were interviewed for sings of affectionless psychopathology and their family were also interviewed to establish whether the thieves had experienced prolonged separation from their mother during the critical period and for how long.

  A control group of 44 non-criminal but emotionally disturbed young people.
• What did Bowlby conclude from his 44 thieves study?

  Bowlby concluded that early separation from the mother or primary caregiver could lead to severe emotional and behavioural issues, including affectionless psychopathy and a predisposition towards delinquency. This highlights the critical importance of a stable and continuous relationship between the child and their primary caregiver during the early formative years for healthy psychological development.