Psychology: Approaches
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation:
Maternal Deprivation—This is the consequence of prolonged separation between an infant
and the primary attachment figure. Bowlby says that the cure of the primary attachment
figure is important for the infant to mature emotionally and physically.
Separation versus Deprivation:
Separation is when the infant is not in the presence of the primary attachment figure, while
deprivation is removing the element of care the primary attachment figure from the infant.
Prolonged separation can cause deprivation which leads to harm.
The critical period:
Bowlby says the critical period for mental development is 30 months. If an infant is
separated from their primary attachment figure for more than 30 months than the infant
will face psychological damage.
Effects on development:
Maternal deprivation can affect development. It can affect intellectual development. Infants
that are maternally deprived after the critical period had low IQs which leads to intellectual
disability. A research shows that children with low IQs stayed in the organisation who
children who were fostered showed a higher IQ.
Maternal deprivation can affect emotional development. Infants that are deprived from
their mother, emotional care can cause them to become affectionless psychopaths in the
future. This means that they lack the understanding to understand others emotion and they
have no remorse for their actions.
Bowlby’s 44 thieves study:
Aim: The aim of the experiment to see if there was a link between psychopaths and
maternal deprivation.
Procedure: The study consisted of 44 criminal teenagers who were accused of stealing. The
criminals were interviewed to see the signs of affectionless psychopaths. For e.g. lack of
guilt for their victims. The families were also interviewed to find out if criminals had
prolonged separation from their mothers. A control group of no criminals but disturbed
young people were made to see if being maternally deprived occurred even if they are not a
criminal.
Findings: Results show that 14 of the criminals could be described as affectionless
psychopaths and of the 24, 12 experienced prolonged separation from their mother, while
only 5 of the remaining 30 had experienced separation. In the control group only 2 out of 44
had experienced prolonged separation.
Conclusion: This shows early prolonged separation can cause affectionless psychopaths.
Evaluation:
One limitation of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that the critical period is
more of a sensitive period. Bowlby’s theory of the critical period from psychological
development may be ‘sensitive’ rather than ‘critical’ as there are studies that show
that the damage is not inevitable. For instance, Koluchova reported the case of twin
boys who were isolated from the age of 18 month to 7 years. Later on, they were
Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation:
Maternal Deprivation—This is the consequence of prolonged separation between an infant
and the primary attachment figure. Bowlby says that the cure of the primary attachment
figure is important for the infant to mature emotionally and physically.
Separation versus Deprivation:
Separation is when the infant is not in the presence of the primary attachment figure, while
deprivation is removing the element of care the primary attachment figure from the infant.
Prolonged separation can cause deprivation which leads to harm.
The critical period:
Bowlby says the critical period for mental development is 30 months. If an infant is
separated from their primary attachment figure for more than 30 months than the infant
will face psychological damage.
Effects on development:
Maternal deprivation can affect development. It can affect intellectual development. Infants
that are maternally deprived after the critical period had low IQs which leads to intellectual
disability. A research shows that children with low IQs stayed in the organisation who
children who were fostered showed a higher IQ.
Maternal deprivation can affect emotional development. Infants that are deprived from
their mother, emotional care can cause them to become affectionless psychopaths in the
future. This means that they lack the understanding to understand others emotion and they
have no remorse for their actions.
Bowlby’s 44 thieves study:
Aim: The aim of the experiment to see if there was a link between psychopaths and
maternal deprivation.
Procedure: The study consisted of 44 criminal teenagers who were accused of stealing. The
criminals were interviewed to see the signs of affectionless psychopaths. For e.g. lack of
guilt for their victims. The families were also interviewed to find out if criminals had
prolonged separation from their mothers. A control group of no criminals but disturbed
young people were made to see if being maternally deprived occurred even if they are not a
criminal.
Findings: Results show that 14 of the criminals could be described as affectionless
psychopaths and of the 24, 12 experienced prolonged separation from their mother, while
only 5 of the remaining 30 had experienced separation. In the control group only 2 out of 44
had experienced prolonged separation.
Conclusion: This shows early prolonged separation can cause affectionless psychopaths.
Evaluation:
One limitation of Bowlby’s theory of maternal deprivation is that the critical period is
more of a sensitive period. Bowlby’s theory of the critical period from psychological
development may be ‘sensitive’ rather than ‘critical’ as there are studies that show
that the damage is not inevitable. For instance, Koluchova reported the case of twin
boys who were isolated from the age of 18 month to 7 years. Later on, they were
