attachment - explanations for attachment Flashcards
what is dolland and millers theory of cupboard love
based on the principles of learning theory that argues infants become attached to their caregivers because they learn that their caregiver provides food
how does classical conditioning lead to attachment
food is an unconditioned stimulus, producing pleasure an unconditioned response. as the mother is present every time the baby is fed, the mother becomes associated with the pleasure of being fed so she changes from being a neutral stimulus to a conditioned stimulus
how does operant conditioning lead to attachment
positive reinforcement - when a parent feeds a crying baby the baby is more likely to repeat the crying behaviour to get food. the parents feeding behaviour is negatively reinforced by the baby stopping its crying once it is fed
what is meant by attachment being a secondary drive
because it is led from the satisfaction of a primary drive ( hunger )
what are the strengths of the learning theorys explanation for attachment
- has face validity as it makes intuitive sense that babies cry more when they learn that crying gains them attention and food
- behaviourist principles used to explain attachment are backed up by a long history of well controlled research such as pavlovs dogs and skinners rats
what are the weaknesses of the learning theorys explanation for attachment
- harlows research on monkeys rejects the cupboard love theory, showing that infant monkeys became attached to a cloth mother that did not provide milk, not a wire monkey that provided milk
- most parents would say their relationship with their children is more complicated than the result of simplistic stimulus associations suggesting applying learning theory to attachment is environmentally reductionist
what is bowlbys theory of attachment
an evolutionary explanation of attachment: argues infants have an innate and instinctual drive to form an especially strong attachment to their mother ( monotropy ) and stay in close proximity. this is vital to infants survival
how do babies form attachments according to bowlby
they instinctively use signals called social releasers ( crying, smiling, vocalisations ) that attract the caregivers attention; mothers are biologically programmed to instinctively find these behaviours cute or distressing
according to bowlby what do infants use their mothers for
as a safe place to explore their environment and show stranger anxiety
what does bowlby mean by critical period
he suggests that a strong monotropic attachment must form in the first 30 months after birth ( critical period ) and a lack of monotropy results in permanent negative social, intellectual and emotional consequences for the infant
what does bowlby mean by internal working model
he claims that a childs monotropic attachment to its mother forms a schema called the internal working model which is a blue print for future relationships
what are the strengths of bowlbys theory of attachment
bowlbys ideas have been developed and applied to early child care for example immediate physical contact between the babies and their mothers in the first few hours after birth is encouraged and he inspired mary ainsworth
what are the weaknesses of bowlbys theory of attachment
- bowlbys work is based on lorenzs findings. research on orphans suggests unlike geese early childhood is sensitive not critical. important but suitable care can lead to recovery counter to bowlbys claim of permanent damage
- the internal working model is highly deterministic, people like to think they have complete conscious control over their relationships, including responsibility for success in relationships
- bowlby argues the role of the father is to provide resources for the family, whilst the mothers monotropic role is crucial. this is likely a reflection of a 1940s world view that was likely correct in that time but now lacks temporal validity
