Bowlby's Theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

What is separation?

Answer 1

• Child not in presence of primary attachment figure.
• Brief separations, particularly where child’s with substitute caregiver don’t have significant impact on development.
• Extended separations can lead to deprivation.

Question 2

What is (maternal) deprivation?

Answer 2

• Long-term separation or loss of emotional care from mother.
• Primary attachment is of special significance (monotropy).
• This becomes an issue for development.

Question 3

How does the critical period relate to Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 3

If attachment broken/disrupted during critical period (2 ½ years) & child deprived of emotional care for extended period during this, will suffer irreversible long-term psychological consequences

Question 4

How does maternal deprivation effect intellectual development?

Answer 4

Leads to abnormally low IQ and intellectual disability

Question 5

How does maternal deprivation effect emotional development?

Answer 5

• Can lead to affectionless psychopathy - inability to experience guilt or strong emotion for others
• Prevents them from developing normal relationships & associated with criminality.

Question 6

What effect would maternal deprivation have on the internal working model?

Answer 6

• Lack of opportunity to develop an internal working model
• Results in them forming poor relationships - expect bad treatment from others/treat others in that way
• Continuity hypothesis - haven’t been securely attached so won’t have secure adult relationships

Question 7

Describe Bowlby’s 44 thieves study (1944)

Answer 7

• Examined links between affectionless psychopathy & maternal deprivation.
• 44 criminal teens accused of stealing interviewed for signs of AP.
• Families interviewed to see if they’d had maternal deprivation.

Question 8

What were the results of Bowlby’s 44 thieves study?

Answer 8

• 14/44 affectionless psychopaths’
• 12 of these had prolonged separation in first 2 years of life.
• Clear link.