Deprivation and Social Motives

Deprivation and Social Motives

The present paper attempted to correct the mistaken notion imparted by most psychology textbooks that the concept of deprivation is not applicable to social motives. After arguing that the concept of physiological deficits be kept distinct from the concept of deprivation, the present study focused on the effects of social rather than physiological deprivation. Studies were reviewed for evidence of social deprivation as a condition for elicitation of social motives (attention seeking and affiliation) and also for evidence of social deprivation on the shaping of social motives. The review revealed Walters and Parke's attack on Gewirtz's social-deprivation hypothesis was based on faulty reasoning. It was concluded that at least for some social motives the concept of deprivation is still relevant.