Attachment: Explanations of attachment (Learning Theory) Flashcards
Who came up with The Learning Theory and when??
Dollard & Miller (1950)
What is The Learning Theory??
Attachment is a learnt behaviour, we learn to love whoever feeds us
What are the 2 types of conditioning in The Learning Theory??
Classical & Operant
What is classical conditioning??
Learning through association
What are the 3 stages of a baby forming an association between it’s mother and pleasure??
- Food (UCS) = Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
- Mother (NS) + Food (UCS) = Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
- Mother (CS) = Baby feels pleasure (CR)
Baby feels happier when mother is near which is the beginning of forming an attachment
What’s operant conditioning??
Learning through reward & punishment
What are the stages of positive reinforcement for the baby??
- Baby cries
- Baby receives reward (food relieves hunger)
- Reward reinforces action so baby repeats
What are the stages of negative reinforcement for the caregiver??
- Baby cries
- Caregiver feels uncomfortable
- Console child by feeding it
- Behaviours are rewarding for child so infant stops crying
What are positive and negative reinforcement??
Positive = Reward which makes a good situation even better
Negative = Reward which takes away an unpleasant situation
What are 2 counterpoints of The Learning Theory?? (AO3)
- Harlow’s monkeys (Learning theory states attachment is formed with person who provides food, but the monkey sought comfort from cloth mother even though plain wire mother dispensed milk)
- Interaction Synchrony and Reciprocity are said to be the 2 most important aspects of forming attachments and neither of these include feeding.
What’s a study that supports The Learning Theory??
Sears et al (1957):
The primary drive of hunger is innate. When caregivers provide for this primary drive through feeding, an attachment is formed as a secondary drive learnt through association.
