Attachment explanations - Learning theory and Bowlby's monotropy Flashcards
What is learning theory?
A group of explanations - classical and operant.
Explains beh. in terms of learning rather than inborn beh.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning to associate 2 stimuli w/ each other so we respond to one the same way we already respond to the other.
Food is an unconditioned stimulus; we don’t have to learn that it gives pleasure - unconditioned response
Caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus. The caregiver feeds the baby and starts to associate w/ food which has an unconditioned response.
The caregiver becomes a conditioned stimulus producing a conditioned response.
What is operant conditioning?
The idea that beh. is learned through reinforcement.
If beh. produces pleasant consequence it is more likely to be repeated - reinforced
If beh. produces unpleasant consequence it is less likely to be repeated.
Explains why babies cry for comfort - know they will get attention and comfort once its happened once.
Learning theory AO3:
Behaviorists believe humans are no different to animals in how they learn.
Human beh. constructed from same basic building blocks of stimulus and response.
Therefore we can generalise animal studies to humans.
Learning theory AO3: How does this theory lack support from human studies?
Lack of support from studies on human babies.
Schaffer and Emerson found babies have an attachment to their mother no matter who feeds them.
Suggests food is not the main factor in human attachment
What is monotropy?
The concept that infants have an innate ability to attach primarily to a single caregiver or attachment figure.
What is the law of continuity in BMT?
The more constant and predictable a childs care the better the quality of their att.
What is the law of accumulated separation in BMT?
The effects of every separation from the mother add up.
‘The safest dose is therefore a zero dose’
What are social releasers?
Features that ensure interaction between the infant and caregiver.
- smiling
- big eyes
- round head
- crying
What is the critical period?
This is a period of time around the first 6 months after the baby is born when their att system is active. Bowlby viewed it as a sensitive period. This could last up to 2 yrs. If an att. is not formed in this time it is much harder to form one later on.
What is the internal working model?
This is the infants mental representation of their relationship w/ the primary att. figure. If the relationship is good the child is likely to have good relationships in later life. If it is poor the child will have relationships later on where they will expect to be treated badly or treat others badly.
Tells the infant what kind of love they deserve.
BMT AO3: What contradicting evidence is there?
Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that while infants did att. to 1 person at first a sig. minority made multiple att.s. The first att. was particularly strong this doesn’t mean it was diff. from childs other att.s
BMT AO3: How does the temperament hypothesis undermine Bowlby’s theory?
Kagan(1984) proposed it is the child innate emotional personality that explained att. beh. Infants who are ‘easy’ are more likely to have a good att. because they are easy to bond w/ whereas ‘difficult’ infants are more likely to be insecurely att.ed.
Bowlby suggests it is due to caregivers sensitivity whereas Kagan suggests it is the infants personality.
BMT AO3: What supporting evidence is there for early att.s affecting later relationships?
Sroufe et al. (2005) found continuity between early att. and later relationships. Ind.s who were securely att.ed were rated higher for social competence later in childhood, were less isolated, more popular and more empathetic.
BMT AO3: What support is there for social releasers?
Brazelton et al. (1975) observed babies trigger social interactions w/ adults using social releasers. Researchers then told adults to ignore social releasers from their baby. The babies became increasingly distressed, some curled up and lay motionless.
Shows social releasers are important in att.
