Attachment: learning theory Flashcards
What do children form attachments based on?
Primary care provision (feeding etc.)
Attachment behavior increases from birth.
What is the term used to describe the strongest attachments?
Cupboard love
This refers to attachments formed with those who provide the most primary care.
How does classical conditioning explain attachment development?
Babies learn to associate the mother (NS) with food (UCS). The mother becomes a CS producing a CR of pleasure
This conditioned pleasure response is love, leading to attachment formation.
What is the conditioned stimulus (CS) in the context of classical conditioning for attachment?
Mother
The mother becomes the CS after being associated with food (UCS).
What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in the attachment development process?
Food
The UCS naturally produces a response of pleasure.
What is the conditioned response (CR) in classical conditioning related to attachment?
Pleasure
Define operant conditioning.
Behaviour is shaped and maintained due to consequences
Pleasant consequences increase behavior repetition, while unpleasant consequences decrease it.
How does operant conditioning explain why babies cry for comfort?
Crying produces a response from the caregiver, reinforcing the behavior
What positive reinforcement might a baby experience?
Crying leads to a response from the caregiver, such as feeding
As long as the caregiver provides the correct response, the crying is reinforced.
What negative reinforcement might a mother experience?
The caregiver escapes from something unpleasant when the crying stops
This mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment.
AO3: contradicting evidence
There is evidence from animal studies to contradict the learning theory
This theory suggests that attachments develop as a result of feeding
However there is animal studies prove otherwise. Lorenz found that young animals do not necessarily attach to or imprint on those who feed them. Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed and maintained these attachments regardless of who fed them
This contradicts the learning theory as it suggests attachments are innate and not learnt
Similarly, Harlow found monkeys formed an attachment to the cloth mother and not the wire mother who dispensed food.
This contradicts the learning theory as it suggests that attachments are not formed based on feeding but instead based on contact comfort.
WEAKNESS as animal studies suggest that attachments to not develop as a result of feeding. This must be the same for humans.
AO3: research to go against
A limitation of learning theory is the lack of support from studies of human babies
Schaffer and Emerson found babies tended to form their main attachment to their mother regardless of whether she was the one who fed them.
Isabella et al found that high levels of interactional synchrony predicted the quality of
attachment.
WEAKNESS as these factors are not related to feeding. This suggests that food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments. Other factors are involved.
AO3: support for conditioning
One strength of learning theory is that elements of conditioning may be involved in some aspects of attachment.
It seems unlikely association with food plays a central role in attachment but conditioning may still play a role. > For
example a baby may associate feeling warm and comfortable with the presence of a particular adult and this may influence the babies choice of their main attachment figure
E: This suggests that the learning theory may still be useful in understanding the development of attachments
COUNTER: learning theory suggests babies play a passive role in attachment development
Research shows babies take an active role through reciprocity and interactional synchrony. This has been proven to lead to good quality development
WEAKNESS as this suggests that conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment
