Attachment

Question 1

Classical Conditioning in the Learning Theory of Attachment

Answer 1

Food serves as a UCS which gives a feeling of pleasure (UCR)
Caregiver starts as NS- child hasn’t learned to react in any way

When same caregiver provides food over a long time, caregiver becomes associated with food
After learning, the mother starts producing the same response of pleasure by themselves
Baby has become attached to the caregiver

Question 2

Operant Conditioning in the Learning Theory of Attachment

Answer 2

Hunger acts as a drive- this causes babies to engage in behaviour to reduce the drive
This leads to the child being fed- reduces hunger therefore reducing the drive
Food is a reward- primary reinforcer
Child recognises person provides the food as secondary reinforcer
Process repeats and child becomes attached as mother is source of reward and agent of drive reduction

Question 3

Drive

Answer 3

A feeling of discomfort that motivates behaviour

Question 4

Primary Reinforcer

Answer 4

Object that directly reduces the drive

Question 5

Secondary Reinforcer

Answer 5

Agent that provides primary reinforcer, indirectly reducing drive

Question 6

Strengths of Learning Theory of Attachment

Answer 6

Practical Applications

Question 7

Weaknesses of the Learning Theory of Attachmenr

Answer 7

Refuting evidence of animal research- Lorenz and Harlow
Refuting evidence from human research- Schaffer and Emerson
Alternative explanations- Bowlby

Question 8

Adaptive Stage of Monotropic Theory

Answer 8

Attachment has evolutionary value- survival function for infants
Infants- enhances chances of survival
Caregivers- ensures their genes are successfully passed down

Question 9

Critical Period of Monotropic Theory

Answer 9

Due to survival value of attachment, infants have innate drive to form attachments
Critical periods- first 2 years of life
Children who don’t from attachments during the CP, they will have trouble forming attachments in future.

Question 10

Social Releasers of Monotropic Theory

Answer 10

During critical period, attachment is determined by parental sensitivity to social releasers
These are behaviours (smiling, cooing) that elicit caregiving type of responses from caregivers

Tendency to demonstrate social releasers is innate and helps capture attention of carers

Question 11

Montropy in Monotropic Theory

Answer 11

Based on parental sensitivity to SRs during CP, infants for one special, emotional bond (primary attachment)

Tendency to form one important attachment- Monotropy

Often the biological mother

Question 12

Internal Working Model in Monotropic Theory

Answer 12

Monotropic attachment formed in CP forms a template for future relationships
Infants will form a concept of what to expect from future intimate relationships

Continuity Hypothesis- those who have secure attachments in infancy continue to be more socially and emotionally competent and have secure relationships

Question 13

Strengths of Monotropic Theory

Answer 13

Support for Continuity Hypothesis- Sroufe et al
Practical Applications

Question 14

Weaknesses of Monotropic Theory

Answer 14

Refuting evidence of concept of critical period-Tizard and Hodges
Refuting evidence for the concept of Monotropy- Schaffer and Emerson

Question 15

Procedure for Lorenz’s Goslings

Answer 15

Took a clutch of goose eggs and divided them into 2 conditions: control group (stayed with the mother) and experimental group ( is incubated )
When the incubated group hatched the first thing they saw and had contact with was Lorenz
He then observed the behaviour of the goslings as he interacted with them

Question 16

Findings for Lorenz’s Goslings

Answer 16

Incubated group followed Lorenz everywhere (control followed mother goose)
IG didn’t recognise the mother
Young animals will form an attachment to a moving object in its critical period (2 days)- lack of that object leads to failure to form primary attachments
Animals will choose to mate with the same species they were imprinted

Question 17

Conclusion of Lorenz’s Goslings

Answer 17

Animals form attachments through imprinting and have an evolutionary need to form attachments to enhance survival chances

Question 18

Procedure of Harlow’s Monkeys

Answer 18

Places monkeys (in isolation for 8 months) in a cage with 2 surrogate mothers
One was made of wire with monkey like head that dispenses food and the other was a wooden block covered in cloth that provided comfort

Question 19

Findings of Harlow’s Monkeys (during experiment)

Answer 19

Baby monkeys spent more time with cloth mother than wire mother

When they were frightened they always went to the cloth mother

Question 20

Findings of Harlow’s Monkeys (during follow-up)

Answer 20

Monkeys developed abnormally even with contact comfort
Abnormal social interactions and mating behaviours towards other monkeys
This was due to not forming healthy attachments during their CP (90 days)

Question 21

Conclusion of Harlow’s Monkeys

Answer 21

Food doesn’t lead to attachment
Contact comfort and social interactions are key factors in attachments
Theory that attachments is based on food is too simplistic

Question 22

Strengths of Animal Research

Answer 22

Research support for imprinting- Guiton

Question 23

Weaknesses of Animal Research

Answer 23

Problems extrapolating to humans
Imprinting effects are not permanent- Guiton
Ethical issues- Harlow

Question 24

Reason animal research has implications for human attachment

Answer 24

Evidence surrounding critical period a limited window
Evidence surrounding the importance of contact comfort
Showed damaging effects of poor early attachments

Question 25

Reasons animal research is irrelevant to human attachments

Answer 25

Problems with extrapolation
Idea of critical period not being relevant to humans

Question 26

Attachment

Answer 26

A strong,enduring, emotional relationship between two people

Two way process characterised by a drive for closeness and feeling of security in the presence of attachment figure