Psychology Notes for AS & A2AQA Specification A |
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Module 1Developmental Psychology - Deprivation and Privation |
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John BowlbyBowlby was British, working in London as a psychiatrist. His research earned him the title "wisest man in the western world" from the United Nations World Health Organisation. Bowlby was very familiar with Lorenz's work, and felt we could learn from it and apply it to humans. He believed attachment could be formed within the first six months of life, and if not developed within the first two years, the consequences could be very serious. Lorenz had said that once the critical period had passed without the infant forming an attachment, and thus never forming a bond, the infant would never mature. Bowlby believed that if the attachment was formed and then broken, the consequences could be devastating. He also theorised "monotropy" - that only one true attachment bond can ever be formed in our lives. 44 Juvenile Delinquents was Bowlby's best known research. He studied them, and discovered that 17 out of the 44 had been separated from their mothers between the ages of two to seven, and that the bond had been damaged in some way. With 2 out of the 17, the separation had been total (e.g. death). They all had an inability to tell right from wrong and no sense of morality. He called this conclusion "Affectionless Psychopathy" and published this research stating children need their mothers. He warned that mothers could be causing their children permanent damage if they were not there for them in the first few years of life. He suggested that mothers should be available to children after school, and therefore not work. This was around the time of the end of WWII, and this attitude helped encourage mothers to leave their jobs to the men returning from war, and go home to their children. Governments did not look beyond the research, and encouraged women to return home. Whenever an account of a young person being arrested was published in newspapers from the 1950's, there was always an account of whether the mother was working at the time. Rene Spitz & Catherine Wolf 1940Studied 123 babies for the first year of life, who's mothers were in prison. From 6 to 8 months, the babies were temporarily moved to another block and for 3 months cared for by other women, either those heavily pregnant, or with their own young child. Contact with mother was once a week max. The babies cried more, lost appetite and gained weight. Bowlby quoted this research as backing his own, but there are other comments to make. E.g. the temporary carers could not provide adequate stimulation, they would be too busy with their own child, or unable to cope being heavily pregnant themselves; the babies were not in the best situation to start with. This syndrome was called "Deprivation Dwarfism" - when separated from the mother, babies will not eat properly. This is rubbish. James & Joyce RobertsonThe Robertsons did a case study on a 17 month old boy called "John". John was sent to a residential nursery for 9 days in 1948 whilst his mother went into hospital to have another baby. Father worked, and there were no relations nearby to help care for John. The other children in the nursery were aged 15 months to 2 years. At the start of his stay John tried to get the attention of the nurses but they were busy giving attention to more demanding children. John then became angry and cried pitifully he begged his father on his visits to take him home. He started to refuse food and did not sleep, being very distressed. He then stopped seeking attention and played with toys, in particular a teddy. When he came home, he did not want comfort and did not want to know his mother. He became Emotionally Isolated. The Robertsons identified three stages:
However, the Robertsons later re-thought their conclusions. The studied other children with the same sequence of events, but the situation was handled differently. Thomas was fostered temporarily at 28 months while his mother had another baby. This time, Thomas was introduced to the foster parents before he stayed with them. They came to his house, he visited them and got to know them. When Thomas went to stay with the foster parents he was allowed to bring his favourite toys and a pie he had made with his mother. He had few problems with food or sleeping and settled quickly. Play therapy was used to explain what was happening to him and he visited his mother in hospital. Thomas was a little reserved when he returned home, but in a very short time had resumed normal life. The Robertsons concluded that it is not separation, but the method of separation that makes the difference. HarlowHarlow again studied Rhesus monkeys. He took babies and isolated them from birth. They had no contact with each other or anybody else. They would be fed and have the cage cleaned by humans, but no interaction took place at all. He kept some this way for three months, some for six, some for nine and some for the first year of their lives. He then put them back with other monkeys to see what effect their isolation had. Those kept in isolation for 3 months were the least affected, but those in isolation for a year never recovered. To start with the babies were petrified of other monkeys, then very aggressive and indulged in self-mutilation, tearing hair out and scratching. They were unable to communicate, severely damaged. Harlow concluded that privation is permanently damaging (to monkeys). Bowlby said that a human being would have no hope - be doomed. Fox 1977Fox went to a Kibutz in Israel where a crèche was run where the children spent only nights or weekends with their parents. Here Fox found that children formed multiple attachments - to parents, other children and the crèche staff. They all appeared normal, well adjusted, happy kids. They were not harmed because they were still receiving the care, love and attention they needed. Margaret Mead 1949Quoted as saying "Fathers are a biological necessity, but a social accident". ClarkeStudied children between 7 and 30 months. Most of these children were looked after by their mother but stronger attachments seemed to be evident to their fathers (because Dad is fun!). Mary Ainsworth 1967Went to Uganda and studied the Ganda tribe. Children of the tribe were considered the villagers' children - any adult around would look after them. The children would go to any hut for food and any available adult would change the children that needed it. Monotropy does therefore not work - these children formed attachments to just about the whole village. Mary Ainsworth wondered if all children were attached, and conducted the following study on babies aged 12 to 18 months. Mums with babies would go into a strange room, and be left alone so the child can play with toys. After 3 minutes a stranger comes into the room for 3 minutes. The mother leaves the child with the stranger, comes back for 3 minutes, the stranger plays with the child. Some children didn't seem to mind what mum did, they reacted the same whether mother was present or absent. Some would relax and explore, but return to mother when she re entered the room. Some children became upset when mum went, but didn't want to know her when she returned.
Nature V NurtureSome attachment may be due to nature, but the majority is attributed to nurture. Culture plays a very important part in attachment. RutterBritish, interested in Bowlby's ideas on working mothers. Rutter studied children on the Isle of White and in London from 9 to 12 years, particularly anti-social behaviour. He looked back at their family life - where was mum, did she work? He found no significant correlation between poor family environment and later problems. Four things make a poor family, and if any two of the four are present, it generally means that child will have anti-social behaviour:
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All Material Copyright © 2001 / 2002 Kerridwen Red |
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