Maternal Deprivation (Attachment) Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the idea of maternal deprivation
Continual presence of care from a mother is essential for normal psychological development of babies and toddlers, both emotionally and intellectually
What is a intellectual/ cognitive development
Low IQ - if children are deprived of maternal care for too long they experience low IQ
What did Goldfarb find about IQ
Found lower IQ in children who had remained in institutions rather then foster and given higher standard of emotional care
What is a emotional development
Affectionless psychopathy - lacks feels towards others
What study did Bowlby do in relation to affectionless psychopathy
44 thieves study
What was the aim of the 44 thieves study
Study the link between maternal deprivation and affectionless psychopathy
What was the 44 thieves procedure
Studied 88 British children
-44 criminals teenagers (thieves)
-44 non criminal teenagers (control)
Opportunity sample
Interviews + questionnaires about childhood experiences + separation + signs of affectionless psychopathy
What are the findings of the 44 thieves study
14/44 thieves identified as affectionless psychopaths
-12 of these experienced prolonged periods of separation
2/44 non thieves - had early separation from parents
What are the strengths
Research support - Harlow monkeys separated from mothers and given a cloth or wire surrogate - became aggressive, less sociable - supports idea of lack of early attachment causes emotional and social difficulties later
Real life application - childcare practices - hospitals now allow parents to stay with young children to reduce separation - highlights importance of emotional care - lead to child friend polices
What is a limitation
Opposing research - Koluchova - reported on Caech twin boys who suffered extreme emotional and physical abuse from step mother aged 18months to 7 years - when placed into excellent care at age 8, recovered and were emotionally stable - shows damage is reversible
