Explanations for attachment Flashcards
What are the two theories for attachment
Learning theory and monotropic
What is learning theory
infants learn to be attached to their primary caregiver through classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
How does classical conditioning lead to attachment?
During conditioning:
The caregiver is the NS who produces not response from the child.
However, when the NS (caregiver) feeds the baby throughout a
period of time, the baby starts associating the NS (caregiver) with
the UCS (food).
After conditioning:
Through repeated association between caregiver and food, the
caregiver becomes a CS which will produce a CR (pleasure) from
the baby and this leads to attachment as caregiver and baby spend
more time together which produces this emotional bond
How does operant conditioning lead to attachment
When an infant is hungry it is in an uncomfortable state and the baby
cries. When the caregiver provides food, a feeling of pleasure is produced in
the infant which is rewarding and this is called positive reinforcement. Therefore,
crying will be repeated because it has been rewarded. (baby is hungry and
cries, caregiver feeds baby (pleasant stimulus) so crying behaviour is more likely
to be repeated to get attention (increases behaviour) (positive reinforcement).
Attachment occurs as the mother and baby spend more time together leading to
this emotional bond.
The done through caregiver also feels rewarded in this process as the baby stops crying. This is negative reinforcement as the mother feeds the baby to avoid the stress produced by seeing her baby crying. This negatively increases the crying
behaviour in the baby as the baby learns that by crying, he/she will get more attention. This allows an emotional bond to grow between mother and child which
is called attachment
What is secondary drive hypothesis?
explains how primary drives which are essential for survival, such as eating when hungry, become associated with secondary
drives such as emotional closeness.
Strength of the learning theory
Research support
Skinners box.
Operant and classical conditioning are very scientifically reliable
The association of attachment and provision of necessities to survive is very plausible
Therefore increases validity
Limitation of learning theory
-Harlow study with Rheus monkeys
-Babies spent more time with cloth mother despite lack of food
-This shows that babies value comfort and protection over feeding and means that babies may not attach based on feeding.
Another limitation
Monotropic theory
What is Bolwbys monotropic theory?
Bowlby’s Monotropic theory of attachment takes an evolutionary
perspective. He argued that children are born with an innate tendency to
form attachments with their parents in order to increase chances of survival
What is an internal working model
a mental framework developed early in life, primarily through interactions with primary caregivers, which represents an individual’s understanding of themselves, others, and relationships, shaping their expectations and behaviors in future interactions based on these early experiences
what leads to a positive internal working model?
Secure attachment
What is the law of continuity and law of accumulated separation
law of continuity: This refers to the more constant/predictable a child’s care, the better the quality of their attachment.The mother should be 24/7 present.
law of accumulated separation:Effects of every separation from the mother add up, and the safest dose is therefore a zero dose.
strength of critical period?
research support
found they imprint within the first few days
limitation of critical period
Rutter found romanian orphans
Who formed attachments after the period
Some even aged 6 or 7 years
strength of iwm
harlow study
monkeys who spent more time with wire mother had issues in future
shows that iwm is valid
increases credibility
limitation of monototropy
schaffer and emerson showed multiple attachments can be formed
lowers credibility
