4. learning theory Flashcards
what is the learning theory
children learn to become attached to their caregiver because they give them food (cupboard love)
the learning can be because of associations made between different stimulus(classical conditioning) or altering behaviours due to reward/punishment which reinforces behaviour(operant conditioning)
classical learning definition
learning by association
how classical learning works(with food)
food=unconditional stimulus that produces unconditional response (pleasure).
caregiver is neutral stimulus who produces no response
caregiver is continually paired with unconditional stimulus so slowly become associated until alone can produce pleasure
mother has now become a conditioned stimulus and the pleasure from the infant a conditional response. so attachment occurs because the child seeks the person who can supply the reward (food)
operant conditioning definition
learning by reinforcement (reward)
how operant conditioning works (with food)
dollard and miller 1950 suggested a hungry infant feels uncomfortable which creates an urge to reduce the discomfort
behaviour resulting in rewards is positively and so is more likely to be repeated
when hungry babies are fed their discomfort is replaced with pleasure
the food is the PRIMARY reinforcement as it directly satisfies hunger
caregiver is the SECONDARY reinforcement as they are associated with the primary reinforced (the food)
why does Dollard and millers theory 1950 combine both types of conditioning
infants are reinforced in behaviours that produce desirable responses: operant conditioning
infants associate the caregiver with feeling of pleasure when fed: classical conditioning (cupboard love)
classical conditioning diagram
- before conditioning: food (unconditioned stimulus) = happy baby (unconditional response
- during conditioning: mother(neutral stimulus) + food(unconditional stimulus= happy baby (unconditional response)
- after conditioning: mother(conditioned stimulus = happy baby(conditional response)
learning theory evaluation: ample opportunity
dollard and miller 1950 said in the first year a baby is fed around 2000 times by the maincaregiver, creates ample opportunity for caregiver to become associated with the removal of the unpleasent feeling of hunger(negative reinforcement). supports the idea that attachment is learnt through opperant conditioning (because the mother is constantly being associated with the removal of the hunger discomfort).
learning theory evaluation: contact comfort is more important than food
limitation is the learning theory suggests food is the key element in the formation of the attachment. other evidence counter-arguing e.g Harlow’s monkeys wouldn’t attach to the wire monkey who provided food (milk). instead the cloth cuddly mother. suggesting contact comfort is more important than feeding as the basis of an attachment as the learning theory suggests
Shaffer and Emerson’s study found 39% of cases the mother was not the babies main attachment figure, suggesting feeding isn’t the primary explanation of an attachment
learning theory evaluation: does have some explanatory power
doesn’t provide a complete explanation of attachment it does show infants learn via association and reinforcement but food might nor be the main reinforce but the attention and responsiveness that make the attachment. and Shaffer and Emerson suggested it was carers who picked up and reacted to infants needs with sensitivity who had the best attachments.
therefore there’s other important factors that create an attachment
learning theory evaluation: alternative explantion
john bowlby 1969 suggests the learning theory ignores his theory infants are born with the innate tendency to form an attachment that increases their chance of survival and that adults are also innately programmed to become attached to their infants else they wouldn’t respond to the infant and attachment bond couldn’t develop
therefore, attachment isn’t learnt but is innate for the caregiver and infant
