Bowlby' theory of maternal deprivation

AO1: Infants need a warm, intimate, continuous relationship with a mother or mother sub. Those who are denied such care due to frequent/prolonged separations are at risk of being emotionally disturbed. Only have this effect if it isn't done in the critical period (before 2 1/2 y/o) and if there is no mother sub. There was continuing risk up until 5. Damage can be avoided if there is suitable substitute. It's deprivation, not separation that can cause long-term harm. 44 Juvenile thieves- 86% affectionless psychopaths had frequent separations before 2 compared with 17% of other thieves and 2% of control group. Maternal deprivation can lead to a lack of emotional development (affectionless psychopathy)

AO3: Validity & reliabilitycould be questioned. Data was collected through self report technique of interviews. There may be social desirability bias as they may want to make themselves look better i.e. May report fewer separations. Experimenter bias, Bowlby diagnosed the affectionless psychopaths himself and his own expectations might have influenced this.

Emotional separation, not physical is harmful. Radke-Yarrow et al found 55% of children of severely depressed mothers were insecurely attached compared with 29% non depressed. Shows psychological separation can lead to deprivation.

RLA. Enormous impact on post-war thinking about childrearing and how children were looked after in hospitals. Before Bowlby, children were separated from their parents when in hospital and visiting was discouraged or forbidden. Robertson filmed a 2 y/o girl Laura during her 8 day period. She is frequently distressed and begs to go hom. Bowlby and Robertson's work led to major social change in the way children are cared for in hospitals.