explanations of attachment Flashcards
define learning theory
attachment is a learned behaviour acquired through classical and operant conditioning. It is a nurture theory.
who’s theory is learning theory?
Dollard & Miller
Classical conditioning
Primary caregiver (NS) becomes associated with food (UCS), becoming a conditioned stimulus producing ‘pleasure’ (UCR and CR).
Operant conditioning of infants
crying is positively reinforced by attention
Operant conditioning of caregivers
Attention is negatively reinforced by cessation of crying.
secondary drive
Satisfaction of the primary hunger drive is associated with the caregiver.
animal
one limitation of learning theory
p-There is contradictory evidence from animal studies.
E-Harlow demonstrated that contact comfort was more important than food in the development of an attachment, where the baby monkeys formed a primary attachment to the cloth-bound mother, regardless of which mother was dispensing milk.
T- therefore attachment doesn’t develop as a result of feeding.
human
another limitation of learning theory
P- contradictory evidence from human studies! For example,
E- Brazleton et al emphasised the importance of interactional synchrony and reciprocity in the secure formation of
attachments between a primary caregiver and infant
t- This means that the unconditioned stimulus of food is irrelevant in most cases!
monotropy
one relationship that is more important than all the rest.
critical period
critical period for developing attachment (about 0 – 2.5 years). If an attachment has not developed during this time period, then it may well not happen at all.
internal working model
cognitive framework comprising mental representations for understanding of relationships.
what are social releasers
Innate behaviours like crying and smiling designed to elicit adult responses.
ss
one limitation on Bowlby’s monotropic theory
the idea of monotropy is ‘socially sensitive’ (there are social consequences of the theory)
It places a great deal of pressure on the primary attachment figure to form sensitive, loving, nurturing attachments with their children, otherwise the rest of the child’s life may be negatively affected. Some theorists have criticised this, especially from a feminist perspective.
one strength of Bowlby’s monotropic theory
Brazleton et al (1975) found that in an experimental situation, when parents were instructed to ignore social releasers from their babies, the baby responded in a very negative way (lying motionless). This supports that the role of social releasers is very important in the attachment relationship.
another strength of Bowlby’s monotropic theory
bailey et al (2007) found that mothers who reported poor attachments to their own mothers (measured by questionnaire), also had poor quality attachments to their children (measured by observation). This supports the internal working model idea.
