explanations of attachment

Question 1

nature and nurture

Answer 1

nature- Bowlby’s monotropic theory
based on work of Lorenz and Harlow, Bowlby proposed an evolutionary explanation of attachment

nurture-learning theory
behaviourists suggest all behaviour and attachment can be explained using concepts of classical conditioning and operant condiitoing

Question 2

learning theory

Answer 2

sees all behaviour as learnt through environment

classical conditioning-learnt through association

operant conditioning-learnt through reinforcement

Question 3

classical conditioning

Answer 3

mother is initually neutral stimulus in study

when she provides food, creates an unconditioned response of the baby being happy/pleasured

when unconditoned stimulus is added with mother, creates unconditioned response of the babys reponse of being happy/pleasured

Question 4

operant conditioning

Answer 4

learning through consewunece of behaviour

the likelihood that the behaviour is repeated-positive reinforcement

can explain why babies cry for comfort-behaviour in building attachment

crying leads to response from caregiver e.g feeding
as long as caregiver provides correct response, crying is reinforced
baby then directs crying for comfort towards caregiver
its a twi way process
caregiver recieves neagtive reinforcement beacuse crying stops-escaping from something unpleasant is reinforcing
mutual reinforcement strengthens an attachment

Question 5

drive reduction theory

Answer 5

drive is something that motivates behaviour
hunger can be though as a primary drive-innate and biological motivation

Question 6

postive reinforcement

Answer 6

infant is fed, drive is reduced and this produces feeling of pleasure, this is rewarding

Question 7

negative reinforcement

Answer 7

same time as baby is reinforced for crying, the caregiver gives negative reinforcement because hte crying stops-escaping from something unpleasent is reinforcing

Question 8

strength-learning theory has some explanatory power

Answer 8

learning theory can provide an adequate explanation of how attchments form.

Question 9

weakness-counter evidence form harlows research

Answer 9

there is evidence against learning theory from Harlows research. Found that when new-born rehesus monkets were sepearted from mothers aafter birth and placed in cage with 2 wire models

Question 10

weakness-counter evidence from Lorenz study

Answer 10

there is evidence against learning theory from Lorenz theory of imprinting. Evidence to support this theory

Question 11

weakness-counter evidence from human research

Answer 11

strong evidence from studies that suggests that attachments that form between and infant and their primary caregiver are not based on feeding. For example, in Schaffer and Emersons study, the first attachments formed by 39% of babies was not the person who carried out physical care, such as feeding and changing the babys nappy