Attachment - Explanations of attachment Flashcards
Explain classical conditioning as an explanation for attachment.
In attachment, food is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and pleasure is an unconditioned response (UCR)
Certain things (such as the infant’s mother) become associated with food as they are present at the time when the infant is fed. These are called neutral stimuli (NS)
If the NS (the mother) are consistently associated with the UCS it eventually become the conditioned stimulus (CS) and produces a conditioned response (CR).
Pavlov and the dog…salivate at sound of a bell, not just at the sight of food!
Explain drive reduction as an explanation of attachment.
Hunger = primary drive…an innate biological motivation. We are motivated to eat to reduce the hunger drive (which keeps us alive!)
Robert Sears 1957 suggested that as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them and attachment is a secondary drive learned by the association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.
Learning theory explanations for attachment are based on animal studies (criticism!)
P: A criticism of the learning of theory of attachment is that it is based on animal studies (e.g Pavlov’s dog research)
E: Although behaviourists believe that humans are no different to animals in the way they learn, critics argue that a human behaviour as complex as attachment cannot be explained in this way. It involves innate predispositions and mental activity that cannot be explained by conditioning.
E: This suggests that the learning theory explanations are oversimplified and ignore factors such as contact comfort.
Attachment is not based on food alone (criticism!)
P: The main limitation of learning theory explanations is that they suggest food is the key element of attachment.
E: Evidence from Harlow’s study with rhesus monkeys suggested that contact comfort rather than food was the most important factor in attachment. Shaffer and Emerson’s research with human children found that ‘sensitive responding’ from the caregiver was more important than the provision of food.
E: This suggests that learning theory presents only a limited explanation of attachment.
Learning theory does make some valid points to explain attachment (strength!)
P: A strength of learning theory is that it is able to explain some aspects of attachment,
E: Infants do learn through association and reinforcement, but food may not be the most important reinforcer. It is possible that parental attention and responsiveness are more important factors that assist in the formation of attachment, thus supporting the basic principles of learning theory.
E: This shows that even though learning theory does not provide a complete explanation of attachment, it still has some value.
Learning theory vs Bowlby’s theory as explanations for attachment.
P: Learning theory was rejected as an explanation of attachment because a better theory appeared.
E: Bowlby’s theory has many advantages in comparison to learning. e.g it can explain why attachments form, whereas learning theory only explains how attachments form. Bowlby’s also explains the benefits of attachment (e.g protection from harm), which are not explained through learning theory.
E: This shows that Bowlby’s theory provides a more complete explanation of attachment than learning theory.
Critical period -> sensitive period
A biologically determined period of time, during which certain characteristics can develop and the infant attachment system is active. Outside of this time window such development will be harder to make.
What is the internal working model?
A mental model of the world which enables individuals to predict and control their environment. In this case of attachment, the model relates to a person’s expectations about relationships. It is influenced by attachment and relationship with parents.
What is monotropy?
The idea that the one relationship that the infant has with his/her primary attachment figure is of special significance in emotional development.
What is a social releaser?
A social behaviour or characteristic that elicits caregiving and leads to attachment.
A strength of Bowlby’s theory is that he suggests attachment is adaptive.
P: A strength of Bowlby’s theory is that it explains why human infants form attachments during the critical period rather than when they are first born.
E: Infants become attached during the critical period of 3 to 6 months, at the same time that they begin to crawl. It is therefore vital that infants form and maintain an attachment during this time, so that their caregivers can protect them
E: This supports Bowlby’s claim that attachments are adaptive.
A weakness of Bowlby’s theory is that he suggests a sensitive period which is now being challenged.
P: Bowlby’s claim that attachments can only form within the 3 to 6 month ‘critical’ period has been challenged by Rutter et al’s research.
E: Rutter et al. found that although infants were maximally responsive to attachment formation during critical period, it was still possible for attachments to form outside this narrow window.
E: As a result of this finding, the term ‘sensitive period’ is now referred to as alternative ‘critical period’
There is research support for Bowlby’s concept of monotropy
Prior and Glaser (2006)
P: The multiple attachment model, which claims that all attachment figures are equivalent, appears to contradict Bowlby’s concept of monotropy.
E: However, in a review of research Prior and Glaser (2006) concluded that a hierarchical model of attachment, which places emphasis one central person ‘higher’ than others, is more likely than multiple attachments
E: This supports Bowlby’s concept of monotropy and his claim that one special attachment plays a more significant role in emotional development
