ipl-logo

Maternal Deprivation Theory

1647 Words7 Pages

Attachment is an emotional bond between an infant and their primary caregiver (usually the mother). The interactions between the caregiver and the infant are seen as important parts which help their relationship to develop and to maintain the attachment, (Psychology Today, 2017). This emotional bond is a strong feeling that a person (infant) have for another person (caregiver) and it could be vital for a child`s normal behaviour and social development.
John Bowlby studied and expanded the concept of attachment and came to the conclusion that attachment represents in the early years of life, a behavioural system which its goal is to maintain the closeness of primary caregiver with the infant. He argues that emotional connections between a child …show more content…

A critique of the maternal deprivation hypothesis came from the psychiatrist Michael Rutter (1981) who argued that it is important to know that there is a difference between deprivation and privation, where in the former the settled, maternal care is lost whereas in the latter the affectional bond has never been there. Evidences indicate that children who were in long-term institutional care since soon after birth are more likely to have problems when it comes to making relationships in later childhood, compared to children who were raised by their mothers at least the first year of life, (Cowie, 1995). These tend to be more friendly and have the ability to maintain some sort of relationship with others. Otherwise, this are the characteristics which describe Alex`s …show more content…

The evolutionary theory of attachment might give some good explanations when it comes to the contrasting behaviour of the siblings Lucy and Alex. Because of the strong connection they had formed or not with their mother, their behaviour is different. On the other hand, there is the nurture side of attachment which could explain the fact that Lucy behaves like this because it is a response of what she received or not from the people around her, especially her mother such as feedback on her performance, e.g. approval or encouragement, (McLeod,

Show More
Related
1013 Words | 5 Pages

Attachment theory states that either secure or insecure bonds may form between infant and mother in the first several months of the infant’s life for the purposes of safety and security. The bond formed between infant and mother influences the quality of the relationships a child has throughout his or her life. One major reasoning of the attachment theory is that the parents are a sanctuary of safety throughout all of early childhood. Insecure attachments promote feelings of threat, rejection, and personal unworthiness. This can also be the explanation for the dream children stashing food away because of the possible threat that there,” will come a time when they will not be fed” (Smith 99).Unhealthy attachments not only lead to poor caregiver-child relationships, but can also cause a dysfunctional self-development, defective relationships, substance abuse problems, and educational difficulties.

Read More
862 Words | 4 Pages

Attachment theory is an emotional bond formed between children and their primary caregivers through close interpersonal contact. Some patterns of children formed with the mother are pivotal to the social, emotional, and personality development of an individual. There are 3 distinct responses when a child is separated from their primary caregiver. One is protest, crying, active searching, and resistance to the comforting of others. Two is despair and blatant sadness.

Read More
307 Words | 2 Pages

Although we are studying theories, some of them appear to explain human behavior and personality with certain accuracy. John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth theories of attachment can also explain what happens to people when attachment to their parents or caregivers is healthy or potential problems that could occur due to detachments. They suggest that individuals raised with secure attachments to their primary caregivers help them to feel secure; moreover, these children appear to be more socially skilled and less likely to experience major emotional disturbances. However, failure to form healthy attachments, especially mother-child, could serve as a descriptive mechanism for many negative psychological outcomes later in the life of an individual,

Read More
966 Words | 4 Pages

Bowlby believed that infants are a product of evolutionary processes pre-coded with a survival instinct to form an attachment with an individual to provide it with comfort, guidance, safety and security (Bowlby 1958, cited in Lishman 2007) Generally attachments were formed with responsive persons who interacted and played with the child a lot, simple caregiving such as nappy changing was itself not an important factor. This strong attachment to the primary caregiver provides a strong base for exploration and reissuance when the child felt insecure (fox, 1977 pg 109). Bowlby believed that there are four main features of attachment. These are safe haven, he believed that the primary care giver would make the child feel safe, secure base, here

Read More
223 Words | 1 Pages

Secured attachment is extremely important in the developmental stages of an infant. Secure attachment is when an infant feels distressed when they are separated from their caregivers and feels happy when their caregiver returns. Research from this article suggests that, when an infant does not receive the comfort they need from their caregiver for secure attachments, it can have a negative impact on their behaviour later on in their childhood and throughout life. Infants who have secured attachments tend to develop stronger self-esteem as they grow older, they also tend to be more independent and successful in socialising. Those children are also less likely to experience less depression and anxiety.

Read More
1650 Words | 7 Pages

This test observed patterns in the infants’ experiences of separation and reunion with their mother, and their reaction to a stranger, in order to evaluate the type of attachment relationship the infant shared with their mother (Ainsworth, 1978). Ainsworth found a significant consistency between the mothers’ interactive styles and the reactions of the infants. The results of this test led Ainsworth to classify the behaviours into three main categories. She identified the infants to have secure attachment, or one of two forms of insecure attachment, avoidant or ambivalent (Music,

Read More
890 Words | 4 Pages

One of the main theories in Developmental psychology is the attachment theory that was devised by Bowlby (1969) and was added to in 1973, by Mary Ainsworth. The attachment theory surrounds the bond between a primary care giver and a baby. They believe that attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space. In 1930 Bowlby worked as a psychiatrist in a children’s unit, where he treated many emotionally disturbed children, this lead him to consider the relationship between mother and child and the impact that could have on the child’s development. Bowlby believed that the attachment process was an all or nothing process and that you either were attached or were not attached.

Read More
575 Words | 3 Pages

It is based on the attachment theory that considers early relationships between children and their caregivers provide a template or internal working models for external relationships. Children who experienced moderately secure attachments during their childhood are more likely to live adult relationships with trust and sense of worth than those with insecure attachments (p. 5). Children's experience of a secure relationship during their childhood reinforces their belief that they are loveable, they understand their worth and that they are valuable. With this understanding, they are capable of extending themselves to relationships that are external to the home

Read More
1093 Words | 5 Pages

Whether that be a short or long period. Maternal Deprivation occurs when an attachment is ‘broken’. He also believes that the attachment figure does not have to be the mother of the child. It is known that Bowlby was in fact brought up by his nurse maid, Minnie and his Nanny, Nanny Friend. This is perhaps why he believes it doesn’t have to be the mother who gives the child love and affection in their early years.

Read More
225 Words | 1 Pages

Intensive mothering creates inequality within the home for many women. In other words, women take on more unpaid work within the home which, creates more stress for women. Domestic labour is not regulated, it is unpaid and is often taken for granted even though it is so important for a household (Luxton & Corman, as cited in Mandell & Duffy, 2011, p.219). Muszynski argues what is unpaid work within the household and divides it into five different categories. Meal preparation and clean up, other domestic work which includes cleaning, repairs and maintenance, third is help and child care, fourth is management and shopping and lastly transportation and travel (Muszynski, cited in Bolaria 2000.p.106).

Read More
1354 Words | 6 Pages

Research of over the course 30 years showed that infants are far more competent, social, and responsive and are able to make sense of their environment. Infants are no longer regarded as passive and do not only respond to stimuli (Fantz, 1963). The theory of attachment that was first proposed by John Bowlby (1970) described it as a ‘lasting psychological connectedness between human beings’. He notion that children as young as infant need to develop a secure attachment with their main caregiver. Bowlby’s attachment theories are both psychopathology and normal socio-emotional development.

Read More
1020 Words | 5 Pages

Bowlby 's attachment theory had vast investigation done by Mary Ainsworth, who studied the interactions between mother and child, specifically, the theme of an infant’s investigation of their surroundings and the separation from their mother. This essay will focus on Bowlby’s attachment theory and Mary Ainsworth’s experiments and findings, discussing their views on the development and importance of attachment in early life. John Bowlby’s primary interest was in the relationship between child and mother or primary caregiver. Bowlby suspected that the earliest relationships formed by children and their primary parent or care giver, have huge impacts on the child’s later life. From this, Bowlby developed the attachment theory.

Read More
785 Words | 4 Pages

Since the ‘50s, Bowlby worked alone and with distinguished colleagues such as psychoanalyst James Robertson, ethologist/zoologist Robert Hinde and psychologist Mary Ainsworth on several different studies. Bowlby suggested that due to the attachment between children and their carers, children suffer loss when they are separated. Bowlby’s study with the ethologist Robert Hinde, inspired the idea that certain attachment behaviours have evolved as a survival mechanism (Bergen, 2008). The core of the theory today is that the quality of close relationships affects personality, emotional and social development not only in childhood but throughout the life of the individual (Howe, 2001). This suggests that attachment theory is effectively a biological, psychological and social theory of human development.

Read More
1137 Words | 5 Pages

Attachment in early life is a fundamental aspect of child development and the establishment of intimate and reciprocal relationships with caregivers. Shaffer & Kipp (2007) define attachment as ‘a close emotional relationship between two persons, characterized by mutual affection and a desire to maintain proximity’. Contrary to the original view of infant attachment as a ‘secondary drive’ of the dependency on caregivers for physiological needs, such as hunger; Bowlby (1969, 1973) proposed that all infants are born with an innate bias to form an attachment to a primary attachment figure to whom they can seek comfort, or a ‘secure base’ during stressful circumstances. It is proposed by Ainsworth (1967) that parental sensitivity is crucial to shaping the security and development of the initial infant-parent attachment relationship, however the phenomenon of attachment requires both infants and caregivers to contribute in the formation of the attachment bond. Ultimately, the quality of attachment in early life shapes both the social and emotional

Read More
779 Words | 4 Pages

Peaceful resistance and the freedom to protest has always been the basis of America’s fundamentals of democracy. The American people hold the right to criticize their government and make known when they do not approve of their policies. Because of this, I believe that peaceful resistance has been a successful way to move the American people closer to a free society In fact, our country has been founded on the basis of peaceful resistance through the boycotting of the Stamp Act to the various political cartoons that sparked the American revolution. Peaceful resistance has always been a tool for awareness to social and political issues.

Read More

More about Maternal Deprivation Theory

Related Topics

Open Document