Attachment - Bowlby’s Theory of Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

WHO

Answer 1

World Health Organisation

Question 2

When did the WHO commission Bowlby to write a report?

Answer 2

After WW2

Question 3

What did the WHO commission Bowlby to write a report on?

Answer 3

The mental health of homeless children post-war

Question 4

What did Bowlby believe could be harmful for homeless children?

Answer 4

Long term deprivation

Question 5

Deprivation

Answer 5

Lack of necessities

Question 6

What hypothesis did Bowlby state?

Answer 6

Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

Question 7

Maternal Deprivation Hypothesis

Answer 7

Deprivation from main caregiver during critical period will result in harmful affects

Question 8

What is maternal deprivation?

Answer 8

The emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between a child and their mother/substitute mother

Question 9

What does Bowlby believe to be essential for normal psychological development?

Answer 9

Continuous care from a mother

Question 10

What can separation from the mother (or mother substitute) cause serious damage to?

Answer 10

Serious damage to emotional and intellectual development

Question 11

Deprivation theory (IQ)

Answer 11

Deprivation in the critical period causes IQ and mental damage

Question 12

What does deprivation cause a person to become?

Answer 12

An affectionless psychopath

Question 13

Characteristics of an affectionless psychopath (6)

Answer 13

-Lack of emotional development
-Lack of concern for others
-Lack of guilt
-Inability to form meaningful relationships
-Lack of empathy
-Impulsive

Question 14

Privation

Answer 14

Not having the opportunity to form a bond on the first instance

Question 15

Maternal deprivation

Answer 15

A bond or attachment that has been formed with the main caregiver, but has been disrupted for some reason

Question 16

What piece of key research did Bowlby carry out?

Answer 16

‘44 thieves’

Question 17

What was the aim of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 17

To test the maternal deprivation hypothesis

Question 18

What two groups did Bowlby compare in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 18

He compared 44 juvenile (young) thieves with 44 non-delinquent (non-criminal) children

Question 19

How did Bowlby get data in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 19

He interviewed children and families

Question 20

What percentage of young thieves showed affectionless psychopathy in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 20

32%

Question 21

What percentage of non-delinquent (non-criminal) children showed affectionless psychopathy in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 21

0%

Question 22

What had 86% of affectionless psychopaths experienced before the age of 5 in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study?

Answer 22

86% of affectionless psychopaths had experienced long periods of maternal separation before the age of 5

Question 23

How many of the 44 non-delinquent children in ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study had experienced prolonged separation?

Answer 23

2

Question 24

What does ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study provide research support for?

Answer 24

Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis

Question 25

How did ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study provide research support for the maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 25

Because the majority of the affectionless psychopaths had experienced a long period of maternal separation

Question 26

Advantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Sample size

Answer 26

Large sample size

Question 27

Advantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Support

Answer 27

Research supports maternal deprivation hypothesis

Question 28

Advantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Influence

Answer 28

Influential in this area of attachment

Question 29

Advantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Real world impact

Answer 29

Has impacted child care practices

Question 30

Disadvantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Gender bias

Answer 30

Only boys were studied. We can’t assume that female delinquents will give the same results (can’t generalise)

Question 31

Disadvantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: Retrospective

Answer 31

For analysis, data was looked back on and this could possibly cause inaccuracies in memory

Question 32

Disadvantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: correlation, not causation

Answer 32

We do not know if maternal deprivation caused affectionless psychopath characteristics

Question 33

Disadvantages of ‘Bowlby’s 44 Thieves’ study: investigator effects

Answer 33

There is a possibility that the researcher could impact the participant’s responses

Question 34

Who do conducted further research in 1952?

Answer 34

Bowlby and Robertson

Question 35

What did Bowlby and Robertson observe in 1952?

Answer 35

They observed children experiencing intense distress when separated from their mothers

Question 36

What three PROGRESSIVE stages of distress did Bowlby and Robertson find in 1952?

Answer 36

1. Protest 2. Despair 3. Detachment

Question 37

What does the child do during the protest stage of distress according to Bowlby and Robertson?

Answer 37

The child cries and protests angrily when the parent leaves and they try to cling onto the parent

Question 38

What does the child do during the despair stage of distress according to Bowlby and Robertson?

Answer 38

The child’s protesting begins to stop and they appear calmer. However they are still upset and refuse attempts of comfort

Question 39

What does the child do during the detachment stage of distress according to Bowlby and Robertson?

Answer 39

The child begins to engage with other people but rejects their caregiver on return

Question 40

Which 17 month old baby did Robertson and Robertson observe?

Answer 40

John

Question 41

Where was John placed for 9 days?

Answer 41

In a residential nursery

Question 42

John’s father

Answer 42

He worked all day, but visited the nursery

Question 43

How did John display protest?

Answer 43

He sobbed and resisted comfort

Question 44

How did John display despair?

Answer 44

He played with toys and clung to his teddy bear

Question 45

How did John display detachment?

Answer 45

He wouldn’t look at his mother when she returned

Question 46

What did Spitz and Wolf find about the effects of separation in 1947?

Answer 46

They found that the effects of separation can be severe

Question 47

Where did Spitz and Wolf conduct research in 1947?

Answer 47

In children’s orphanages in South America

Question 48

What two groups did Spitz and Wolf observe?

Answer 48

One institution where babies were separated from their mothers at 3 months Another institution where babies of inmates were separated from their mothers but received regular visits

Question 49

Development of prison babies and orphaned babies

Answer 49

Prison babies thrived while the orphaned babies displaced development delays