Bowlby's Theory of Maternal Deprivation
Bowlby (1951) proposed a theory which focused on the emotional and intellectual consequences of separation between an infant and it's carer, suggesting that continuous care is essential for normal psychological development and deprivation from this had permanent damaging effects
:black_small_square: Separation vs. deprivation - Separation is distinctly when an infant is not in the presence of a primary attachment figure, whilst deprivation refers to the carer losing an element of car (brief separation ≠ deprivation)
:black_small_square: Critical period - Bowlby suggested a critical period of 30 months, in which maternal deprivation leads to inevitable psychological damage
:black_small_square: Effects on development - Bowlby believed that prolonged maternal deprivation during the critical period led to delayed intellectual development, characterised by low IQ, and delayed emotional development, leading to affectionless psychopathy (lack of guilt and empathy)
:black_small_square: 44 thieves study - Bowlby (1944) interviewed 44 criminal teenagers for signs of affectionless sympathy, as well as identifying any early separations with family. Results showed that 14 of the 44 thieves could be described as affectionless psychopaths, with 12 of them having experienced prolonged separation during the critical period. Meanwhile, only 5 of the remaining thieves had experienced maternal deprivation, concluding that maternal deprivation is the cause of affectionless psychopathy
Evaluation:
:heavy_plus_sign: Animal studies (Levy et al. 2003 found that separating baby rats from their mothers for a day had a permanent effect on their social development)
:heavy_minus_sign: Poor evidence (evidence gathered from war orphans; external factors e.g. traumatisation, deprivation from other elements)
:heavy_minus_sign: Counter-evidence (Lewis 1954 partially replicated 44 thieves study with 500 youths; results showed no link between maternal deprivation and criminality)
:heavy_minus_sign: Sensitive period (Koluchova 1976 found that maternally deprived twin boys were able to recover with loving carers; damage is not inevitable)