bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation

Question 1

ao3: supporting research evidence of bowlbys idea of a critical period with counter evidence

Answer 1

For bowlby, damage is inevtitable if attachment isnt formed after 2.5 years of an infants life.

Goldfarb - found lower iq children who had remained in institutions , opposed to those who were fostered. These children required a higher standard of emotional care.

Koluchava - Czech twins - endured emotional and physical abuse from age of 18 months to 7 years old. Although they were severly damaged emotionally, they recieved excellent care and had fully recovered by their teens intellectually and emotionally.

Harm is not inevitable - sensitive period rather than critical period.

Question 2

ao3: conflicting evidence of Bowlbys research

Answer 2

Lewis replicated bowlbys study using a larger sample of children - 500 - and found no link between maternal deprivating , caused by prolonged sepration predicted criminal behaviour in youths. This criticses bowblys theory as it sugguests other factors ease and mediate the effects of maternal deprivation. e.g.

Barret found that securely attached children are more resistant to the negative effects of maternal deprivation than insecure attached children.

Makes results less valid

Question 3

what is the critical period for humans

Answer 3

2.5 years

Question 4

what happens if a child is deprived of emotional care throughout this critical period

Answer 4

psychological harm is inevitable leading to effects on development such as

Intellectual development - abnormally low IQ
emotional development - affectionless psychopathy - inability to feel guilt or strong emtions towards others.

Question 5

outline bowlbys study of affectionless psychopathy

Bowlby examined the link between affectionless psychopathy and maternal

Answer 5

44 criminal teens accuses of stealing
Interviewed for signs of psychopathy.
Families were interviewed to see whether their was prolonged seperation from their mothers.
Comapred to a control of non criminals byt emotionally disturbed group.

14 described as affectionless psychopathy
12 of the 14 had prolonged seperation from mother
compared to 2 in the control.

5 out of remaininf 30 in test group had experienced seperations

Question 6

describe sepration vs deprivation

Answer 6

seperation - not in presence of primary caregiver

deprivation - prolonged sepration of emotional care from primary caregiver which causes harm