🟡 Attachment - Learning Theories

Question 1

What 4 factors did Dollard and Miller (1950) suggest

Answer 1

1 attachment is a learned behabiour acquired through both classical and operant
2 all behaviour (including attachment) is learned not innate
3 learning theories of attachment focus on the associations and rewards provided by caregivers
4 we learn to attach and do so because of dood

Question 2

Example of classical conditioning with baby, milk and mother

Answer 2

Milk (UCS) ————— baby feels pleasure (UCR)
Mother (NS) + Milk (UCS) ———— baby feels pleasure (UCR)
Mother (CS) ———— baby feels pleasure (CS)

Question 3

How does it differ from animal studies

Answer 3

1. Lorenz’s geese attached to first thing they saw, suggesting attachment is not based on food, learning and reinforcers and it is innate
2. Harlows monkeys attached to cloth, suggesting that attachment is not based on food, learning and reinforcers, rather constant comfort

Question 4

Operant conditioning

Answer 4

1. We learn through consequences. Rewards and punishments modify behaviour
2. Behaviour that is rewarded is likely to be repeated and behaviour that is punished is not
3. Reinforced and punishment take place in natural settings all the time

Question 5

Example of operant conditioning for child, infant

Answer 5

When child cries, the mother feeds, this means that crying is positively reinforced. This causes the baby to repeat the process of crying to get food