Lesson 8- Bowlby's Theory Of Maternal Deprivation

Question 1

What effects does prolonged EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION caused by the absence of a primary attachment figure have on children?

Answer 1

1) Lower IQ
2) Social delinquency
3) Emotional difficulties (affection less psychopaths)
4) Mental health issues

Question 2

What does the continuity hypotheses state about these effects?

Answer 2

It states that these effects are IRREVERSIBLE and will CONTINUE in adulthood due to the lack of an INTERNAL WORKING MODEL

Question 3

When could the negative impact of maternal deprivation occur?

Answer 3

It could occur if the separation happens before the child is two and a half years (critical period)

Question 4

What did Bowlby analyse in 1944?

Answer 4

• Analysed the children in the London clinic who were EMOTIONALLY MALADJUSTED

Question 5

How many children did he study?

Answer 5

88

Question 6

How many of the children were thieves?

Answer 6

44

Question 7

How many of the children were apart of the control group

Answer 7

44

Question 8

How many of the children were classified as AFFECTIONLESS PSYCHOPATHS?

Answer 8

14

Question 9

What did the children classified as affectionless psychopaths lack towards their actions?

Answer 9

Affection

Shame

Responsibility

Question 10

What did Bowlby’s findings conclude about the affectionless psychopaths?

Answer 10

They experienced EARLY SEPARATION from their mothers

Question 11

How many thieves were not classified as affectionless psychopaths?

Answer 11

5 of the 30 thieves

Question 12

Did the control group experience early separation from their mothers?

Answer 12

No

Question 13

State one positive evaluation of Bowlby’s theory (Hint: Hospital stay)

Answer 13

Before Bowlby’s theory hospitals would NOT allow parents to visit their children during stays in the hospital.

-This often had a PROFOUND and DAMAGING effect on the child.

-Nowadays parents are ACTIVELY encouraged to stay in hospital with their children

Question 14

State another positive evaluation of Bowlby’s theory (Hint: anaclitic)

Answer 14

SPITZ (1945) examined children raised in a POOR QUALITY orphanage in SOUTH AMERICA.

• members of staff were OVERWORKED, UNDERTRAINED and rarely gave children ATTENTION or AFFECTION.

-as a result of this, these children displayed signs of ANACLITIC DEPRESSION

Question 15

State another positive evaluation of Bowlby’s theory ( Hint: Increase in IQ scores)

Answer 15

SKODAK and SKEELES (1949) found that children placed in institutions that only looked after them PHYSICALLY scored poorly on INTELLIGENCE TESTS

-However, when the same children were TRANSFERRED to a different institution that prioritised giving the childrens’ EMOTIONAL CARE, the IQ test scores improved by 30 points

Question 16

State one negative evaluation of Bowlby’s theory on maternal deprivation (Hint: Reversible)

Answer 16

The effects of maternal deprivation have been shown to be REVERSIBLE.

-According to TIZARD ET AL children who had never formed attachments and were adopted AFTER the critical period were still able to form attachments with their NEW parents

Question 17

State another negative evaluation of Bowlby’s theory on maternal deprivation (Hint: Privation vs Deprivation)

Answer 17

Bowlby did not DISTINGUISH between:

-DEPRIVATION (when the attachment is LOST)

and

-PRIVATION (when the attachment was never FORMED)

It is suggested that it could be PRIVATION that causes the extreme negative effects observed in some studies.