bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

what are the 4 AO3 points of bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation

Answer 1

• Bowbly’s research to support (44 juvenile thieves)
• retrospective data (only used for point above)
• practical applications
• Lewis’s research to contradict

Question 2

PEEL for Bowlby’s research to support

Answer 2

P = 44 juvenile thieves study, interviewed opportunity sample of 44 juv thieves, see if there were signs of affectionless psychopathy
E= then interviewed their parents to see if there were any long periods of separation during critical period. Found= those with affectionless psychopathy were more likely to had experienced long separations where an element of care was lost
E= supports… as it shows prolonged separation in early childhood can lead to negative consequences
L= inc validity

Question 3

PEEL for retrospective data

Answer 3

P= interviews were used to gather information
E= relies on the memory of juvenile parents to recall periods of separations in childhood.
E= they could have lied to present themselves in a better light or simply forgotten it.
L= reduces the internal validity of Bowbly’s 44 juvenile thieves study, weakens support from research

Question 4

PEEL for practical applications

Answer 4

P= the principle of the theory that there are potential negative consequences of separation from CG in early life
E= has led to changes in society eg: hospitals changing visiting hours and allowing parents to stay overnight with infants
E= in order to reduce intellectual and emotional damage such as affectionless psychopathy
L= important part of applied psychology, increases the credibility
PLUS= it could also be appropriate to suggest that it would lead to economic implications such as less criminal activity which would save tax payers money

Question 5

PEEL for Lewis research to contradict

Answer 5

P= partially replicated the 44 juvenile thieves study on a larger scale, 500 young people
E= found- history of early prolonged separation from mother did not predict criminality or difficulty forming close relationships
L= contradicts Bowlby’s theory
PLUS= However, some argue that since Bowlby used opportunity sample in his research and conducted the interviews with the families and the juvenile thieves, research is open to bias which could explain differing findings between B and L research

Question 6

who conducted research to contradict Bowbly’s theory

Answer 6

Lewis
- partially replicated the 44 juvenile thieves study on a larger scale, 500 young people

Question 7

strength of Bowlby’s theory

Answer 7

practical applications

Question 8

criticism for the 44 juvenile thieves study

Answer 8

retrospective data

Question 9

research to support Bowbly’s theory

Answer 9

Bowlby
- 44 juvenile thieves study