Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation. Romanian orphanage studies.

Question 1

What is deprivation?

Answer 1

The child has lost the emotional care provided by the caregiver and is not compensated for by the care of another person.

Question 2

What was Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis?

Answer 2

• Not enough to be warm and fed but children need their mothers continuous emotional care.
• A child who is denied care before the age of 2 will become emotionally disturbed.
• Breaking the bond early on will also cause a serious effect on intellectual and social development.
• These negative effects could be permanent.
• 25% of children suffer long term damage from maternal deprivation.

Question 3

Give supporting evidence for maternal deprivation.

Answer 3

-Splitz and Wolf(1946) observed 100 ‘normal’ children who went into institution and found that they became depressed within a few months.

Question 4

Outline Bowlby’s 44 juvenile theives findings.

Answer 4

• comparing them to teens that were emotionally disturbed rather than theives.
• found that 86% juveniles experienced frequent early separations compared with 17% regular.
• 39% theives experienced early separations but regulars didn’t experience any.

Question 5

Outline the Romanian orphanage study.

Answer 5

• Longitudinal study.
• Group of 165 Romanian children.
• Quasi experiment, IV= age at adoption.
• 111 children adopted before age of 2.
• Assess progress and compare it to 52 child adoptees in the UK.
• Romanians lagged behind British counterparts at the start, by 4 some had caught up.
• At age 11 and 15, IQs were measured.
• Negative effects of institutionalisation.

Question 6

Evaluate the Romanian orphanage study.

Answer 6

• Reliable research.
• Longitudinal studies show increased validity.
• Application to the importance of early adoption.
• Cannot be generalised as the conditions in Romania are so poor than it is illegal in the UK to have children in that sort of environment.

Question 7

What is the effect of institutionalisation on children?

Answer 7

Negative effect, Quasi-autism- social deficits and communication problems, poor understanding of social contexts and obsessive preoccupations.

Question 8

what are the long term effects of institutional care?

Answer 8

• Physical health- adults who had been institutionalised had been more likely to suffer from physical illnesses.
• Parenting- Mothers who had been institutionalised were rated as lacking warmth with their children.