attachment - research into effects of maternal deprivation in development

Question 1

Bowlby’s 44 thieves procedure (3)

Answer 1

• case study
• 44 adolescents accused of stealing
• control group: 44 emotionally distturbed adolescents that had not stolen

Question 2

Bowlby’s 44 thieves findings + conclusion (3)

Answer 2

• F: 14 thieves diagnosed w affectionless psychopathy
• F: 12/14 experienced seperation from their mothers
• CONC: depriving child of its primary carer can have harmful and long lasting effects

Question 3

Bowlby’s 44 thieves evaluation

Answer 3

❌ findings not truly due to deprivation - lacks validity
- many of the children had disrupted early lives and may have never formed strong attachments - privation
- many of the childrens were orphaned during WW2 so were traumatised and had poor care

❌ flawed methodology - lacks validity
- Bowlby himself carried out both family interviews and assessment for affectionless psychopathy
- left him open to bias as he knew which teenagers he ecpected to show signs of affectionless psychopathy
- investigator bias