Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation.

Question 1

What is deprivation?

Answer 1

To be deprived is to lose something.

Question 2

What is deprivation in the context of child development?

Answer 2

In the context of child development deprivation refers to the loss of emotional care normally provided by a primary caregiver.

Question 3

What is Privation?

Answer 3

Privation occurs when there is a failure to form an attachment to any individual.

Question 4

What is Privation in the context of child development?

Answer 4

The child has a series of different carers, there are no carers present or family discord prevents the development of attachment to any figure.

Question 6

What were researchers in the 1930’s beginning to identify?

Answer 6

Researchers were beginning to identify the long-term damage associated with disrupted or limited attachment opportunities.

Question 7

What was Bowlby’s Maternal Deprivation hypothesis? (in his words)

Answer 7

Mother love in infancy/childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health.

Question 8

What does prolonged maternal deprivation lead to?

Answer 8

Prolonged emotional deprivation during the first 2 years of a child’s life with have long term consequences for the emotional and cognitive development of the child.

Question 9

What are the consequences of maternal deprivation?

Answer 9

1. An inability to form attachments in the future.2. 2. Affectionless psychopathy
2. Delinquency (behavioural problems in adolescence
3. Problems with cognitive development

Question 10

What does inability to form attachments in the future refer to?

Answer 10

Referring to the internal working model.

Question 11

What is meant by affectionless psychopathy?

Answer 11

An inability to feel remorse.

Question 12

What is meant by delinquency?

Answer 12

Behavioural problems in adolescence. Criminal behaviour committed by a young person (juvenile).

Question 13

What is an acception for maternal deprivation?

Answer 13

Adequate substitute for emotional care cannot compare to complete absence.

Question 14

What was the aim of 44 thieves? (Bowlby)

Answer 14

To investigate the impact of maternal deprivation on the behaviour of children.

Question 15

What did Bowlby analyse in 44 thieves?

Answer 15

Analysed the case study of history of a number of patients in his child guidance clinic in London.

Question 16

What was the sample in Bowlby’s 44 thieves?

Answer 16

Bowlby studied 88 children in total, 44 had been caught stealing. In a child guidance clinic.

Question 17

Explain how Bowlby studied the two groups in the 44 thieves study

Answer 17

the 44 thieves case histories were compared with the control group to explore instances of maternal deprivation (early separation). Each group were also studied for signs of ‘affectionless psychopathy’.

Question 18

What is Affectionless Psychopathy to Bowlby?

Answer 18

Describes that individuals who cannot exhibit caring behaviours, concern, or affection for other people.

Question 19

What do people with Affectionless Psychopathy not show according to Bowlby?

Answer 19

They don’t have empathy for others. They show no or very little remorse, guilt, shame, or contrition for their bad deeds.

Question 20

How is the potential damage of maternal deprivation avoided?

Answer 20

Adequate substitute emotional care.

Question 21

How many adolescent boys were studied?

Answer 21

65

Question 22

How many thieves had experienced early prolonged separation from their mother before 5 years of age?

Answer 22

17/44

Question 23

How many non-thieves had experienced prolonged separation (maternal deprivation)?

Answer 23

2/44

Question 24

How many thieves were classed as affectionless psychopaths?

Answer 24

15 of the 17 of thieves who experienced maternal deprivation were classed as affectionless psychopaths

Question 25

What is the conclusion drawn from Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 25

Maternal deprivation results in affectionless psychopathy.

Question 26

Describe the additional research support for Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 26

Bowlby's subsequent research reported that 60 children who had spent time from their mothers due to tuberculosis prior to the age of four demonstrated lower achievement in school.

Question 27

What are three main points Bowlby linked disrupted attachment in early life?

Answer 27

Criime, emotional maladjustment, academic achievement.

Question 28

What is emotional maladjustment?

Answer 28

When emotions cannot be managed by the person

Question 29

What is a limitation of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 29

The theory is based on poor quality evidence.

Question 30

What flaw exits in Bowlby's 44 thieves study?

Answer 30

Bowlby conducted both the family interviews and assessments for affectionless psychopathy, leading to potential bias.

Question 31

How did bias impact Bowlbys findings in the 44 thieves study?

Answer 31

Bowlby knew in advance which teenagers he expected to show signs of psychopathy, which could influence his assessment.

Question 32

What issues arose from Goldfarb's (1943) research that influenced bowlby's theory?

Answer 32

Goldfarb's study was another piece of evidence, it had confounding variables due to children experiencing early trauma and institutional care, complicating the relationship to maternal deprivation.

Question 33

Why are Bowlby's original sources of evidence for maternal deprivation considered flawed?

Answer 33

They contained serious issues and biases, making them less credible by modern research standards.

Question 34

What is a new line of research which provides evidence for support of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?

Answer 34

Federic Levy et al. (2003)

Question 35

What did Federic Levy et al. (2003) contribute to the discussion of maternal deprivation?

Answer 35

Their research suggested that separating baby rats from their mothers just for a day had long-term effects on social development, providing some support for maternal deprivation theory.

Question 36

What is another limitation fo Bowlby's theory linking to deprivation and privation?

Answer 36

Another limitation of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is his confusion between different types of early experience.

Question 37

What is the definition of deprivation according to Michael Rutter?

Answer 37

Deprivation refers to the loss of a primary attachment figure after attachment has already developed.

Question 38

How does Rutter define privation?

Answer 38

Privation is the failure to form any attachment at all, often occurring in situations like institutional care.Whereas Bowlby only suggested that it was frequent or prolonged separation.

Question 39

What key point did Rutter make regarding the long-term damage associated with deprivation?

Answer 39

The sever long-term damage attributed to deprivation by Bowlby may actually be more related to privation.

Question 40

In the context of Goldfarb's research, how might the children have been misunderstood in regard to Bowlby's theory?

Answer 40

The children studied by Goldfarb may have experienced privation rather than deprivation, influencing the seriousness of their outcomes.

Question 41

What is the issue with Bowlby not understanding deprivation and privation?

Answer 41

Bowlby may have overestimated the seriousness of the effects of deprivation on children's development.

Question 42

How does 44 thieves have researcher bias?

Answer 42

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