Explanation of Attachment: Learning theory

Question 1

Explain classical conditioning through infants?

Answer 1

• Food is the unconditional stimulus being fed is an unconditional response. A caregiver is the neutral stimulus, when the caregiver provides food They become associated with the food, when the baby sees the person there is an expectation of the food the neutral stimulus has become conditioned stimulus.
• Once conditioning, the caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure and attachment is formed now the caregiver becomes an attachment figure.

Question 2

Explain operant conditioning through babies?

Answer 2

• baby cries for comfort crying Leads to a response from the caregiver, for example feeding as long as the caregiver provides the correct response crying is reinforced. The baby directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting behaviour. The caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops escaping from something unpleasant.

Question 3

Explain attachment as a secondary drive?

Answer 3

Learning theory draws on the concept of drive reduction hunger is primary drive and a biological motivator.
- We are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive caregivers provide the food.
- The primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them. Secondary drive is learned by associating the caregiver and satisfaction of primary drive.

Question 4

Evaluate one limitation of learning theory?

Answer 4

• one limitation is a lack of support from studies conducted on animals.
• Lorenzo geese imprinted on first moving object they saw regardless whether it was associated with food
• Harlow’s monkey displayed attachment behaviour towards a soft surrogate mother in preference to a wire one which provided milk this shows that factors other than association food are important

Question 5

Evaluate a further limitation on learning theory?

Answer 5

• the lack of support from studies of human babies Schaffer and Emerson found that babies formed attachments to their mother regardless of who fed them. Isabella found that interactional synchrony predicted the quality of attachment. These factors are not related to feeding. This suggest food is not the main factor formation of human attachments.

Question 6

Evaluate a strength of learning theory?

Answer 6

• Elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of attachment.
• It is unlikely that the association with food plays a role in attachment but conditioning may still play a role. for example a baby feeling warm and comfortable may associate with an adult.