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Year 12 A-Level Psychology 2023-2025 > Attachment: Explanations Of Attachment - Learning Theory TW > Flashcards

Attachment: Explanations Of Attachment - Learning Theory TW Flashcards

1
Q

What two learning theories can be used to explain attachment?

A

Classical + operant conditioning

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2
Q

Classical conditioning is learning through…

A

Associations

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3
Q

Operant conditioning is learning through…

A

Reinforcement

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4
Q

Which behaviourist researcher developed the theory of classical conditioning

A

Pavlov

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5
Q

Which behaviourist researcher developed the theory of operant conditioning?

A

Skinner

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6
Q

Learning theory suggests infants learn to attach to…

A

Whoever feeds them

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7
Q

What is meant by an unconditioned stimulus?

A

An unlearnt ‘thing’

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8
Q

What is meant by a neutral stimulus

A

A ‘thing’ which we have no experience / knowledge / response to

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9
Q

What is meant by an unconditioned response?

A

An unlearnt / automatic response

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10
Q

What is meant by a conditioned stimulus?

A

A learnt ‘thing’

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11
Q

What is meant by an conditioned response?

A

A learnt response

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12
Q

According to learning theory, milk is what kind of stimulus?

A

Unconditioned

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13
Q

According to learning theory, the feeder is what type of stimulus, at first?

A

Neutral

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14
Q

According to learning theory, milk acts as what when forming an attachment?

A

Unconditioned stimulus

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15
Q

According to learning theory of attachment, what is the unconditioned response?

A

Pleasure

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16
Q

According to learning theory of attachment, what is the feeder?

A

Neutral stimulus

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17
Q

According to learning theory, the neutral stimulus when learning an attachment is…

A

The feeder

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18
Q

A student has written this response:

“As soon as the feeder feeds the infant, the infant associates pleasure with the feeder and an attachment”

Is this correct or incorrect; why?

A

Incorrect - feeding needs to be repetitive

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19
Q

Through repetition of feeding the infant learns to __________ the feeder with food and pleasure

A

Associate

20
Q

What is meant by associate?

A

Pair / link / put together

21
Q

During the conditioning process what is paired together

A

Neutral stimulus (feeder) + Unconditioned stimulus (food)

22
Q

After the conditioning process - what does the feeder become?

A

Conditioned stimulus

23
Q

After the conditioning process - what is the conditioned stimulus?

A

Feeder

24
Q

After the conditioning process - what does pleasure become?

A

The conditioned response

25
Q

After the conditioning process - what is the conditioned response?

A

Pleasure

26
Q

Operant conditioning can explain why an infant performs what behaviour, and for what purpose?

A

Crying for comfort

27
Q

When an infant is hungry, what behaviour is performed?

A

Crying

28
Q

When an infant cries, what behaviour does the caregiver provide?

A

Feeding

29
Q

When an infant cries, the caregiver feeds the infant.

What type of reinforcement is this?

A

Positive

30
Q

An infant’s crying is positively reinforced by what reward?

A

Food

31
Q

Food acts as what component in the context of positive reinforcement?

A

Reward

32
Q

Who is positively reinforced to strengthen an attachment?

A

Infant

33
Q

When a caregiver feeds the infant, the crying stops.

What type of reinforcement does the caregiver receive?

A

Negative

34
Q

Who is negatively reinforced in the context of strengthening an attachment?

A

The caregiver

35
Q

How is the caregiver negatively reinforced in the context of strengthening an attachment?

A

Feeding makes the crying stop

36
Q

What component does crying act as in the context of negative reinforcement?

A

Negative stimulus

37
Q

What is operant conditioning used to explain, in the context of attachment?

A

An attachment strengthening

38
Q

AO3 Focus

Learning theory can be criticised for what type of reductionism?

This will form your Point of your PEEL

A

Environmental

This will form your Point of your PEEL

39
Q

AO3 Focus

Why can learning theory be criticised for environmental reductionism?

This will form the first E of your PEEL

A

It reduces the complex human behaviour of attachment down to simple basic units

This will form the first E of your PEEL

40
Q

AO3 Focus

What simple basic units does learning theory reduce attachment into?

*Remember to be specific - refer to the theory itself using your knowled

This will form the first E of your PEEL

A

Stimulus, response, and association

This will form the first E of your PEEL

41
Q

AO3 Focus

If the learning theory is reductionist, what approach does this mean is rejected?

This will form the second E of your PEEL

A

Holistic approach

This will form the second E of your PEEL

42
Q

AO3 Focus

Who conducted research to contradict learning theory’s idea that we attach via food?

A

Harlow

43
Q

AO3 Focus

What did Harlow find which contradicts learning theory?

A

Monkeys spent more time with the surrogate mother who provided comfort than the surrogate mother who provided them with food..

44
Q

AO3 Focus

Why do Harlow’s findings contradict learning theory?

A

Learning says we learn to attach through making associations to who feeds us - Harlow found comfort more important

45
Q

AO3 Focus

What did Schaffer & Emerson find which contradicts learning theory?

A

Infants attach to their mother regardless of whether she was the one who usually fed them

46
Q

AO3 Focus

What did Field find which contradicts learning theory?

A

The best quality of attachments are with the caregivers that are sensitive and responsive to the infant’s needs.

Year 12 A-Level Psychology 2023-2025 (43 decks)

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