Attachment Theory 4
Bowlby 's maternal deprivation hypothesis assumes that continual disruption of the attachment bond between the infant and primary caregiver would result in long term cognitive, social and emotional difficulties for the child.
To what extent has research into deprivation and privation supported this view.
Bowlby claimed that the role of a mother was essential to a child and without this essential mother figure it would affect the child’s psychological health. He called this theory the maternal deprivation hypothesis. Bowlby conducted most of his research through observing orphans and children in care. Bowlby held the view that if a child lacked an attachment to a mother figure it could have major effects on the child’s development. It was a theory which focused on the negative consequences of maternal deprivation. Bowlby argued that there is a critical period for the formation of attachments, he claimed that attachment should be formed within the first few months after birth. This led him to claim that the attachment to the mother could not be broken in the first few years of life without serious and permanent damage to social, emotional and intellectual development. Bowlby 's theory was deterministic as there is evidence to suggest that not all children go through the stages of distress and the outcome of their distress differs due to the situation surrounding their separation from their mother.
Attachment is an emotional bond that is shared by two people. Schaffer (1993) defines attachment as the result of a close relationship between two people that is characterised by affection on both parts and a shared desire to maintain a close relationship. The maternal deprivation hypothesis (MDH) was also researched by Goldfarb (1943), he studied to group of young children. The first group of children had spent a few months in a poor and understaffed orphanage before they were fostered. The second group of children that he studied had spent up to three years at
To what extent has research into deprivation and privation supported this view.
Bowlby claimed that the role of a mother was essential to a child and without this essential mother figure it would affect the child’s psychological health. He called this theory the maternal deprivation hypothesis. Bowlby conducted most of his research through observing orphans and children in care. Bowlby held the view that if a child lacked an attachment to a mother figure it could have major effects on the child’s development. It was a theory which focused on the negative consequences of maternal deprivation. Bowlby argued that there is a critical period for the formation of attachments, he claimed that attachment should be formed within the first few months after birth. This led him to claim that the attachment to the mother could not be broken in the first few years of life without serious and permanent damage to social, emotional and intellectual development. Bowlby 's theory was deterministic as there is evidence to suggest that not all children go through the stages of distress and the outcome of their distress differs due to the situation surrounding their separation from their mother.
Attachment is an emotional bond that is shared by two people. Schaffer (1993) defines attachment as the result of a close relationship between two people that is characterised by affection on both parts and a shared desire to maintain a close relationship. The maternal deprivation hypothesis (MDH) was also researched by Goldfarb (1943), he studied to group of young children. The first group of children had spent a few months in a poor and understaffed orphanage before they were fostered. The second group of children that he studied had spent up to three years at