Explanations of Attachment & Effects of Institutionalisation

Question 1

What does learning theory suggest?

Answer 1

Attachment happens because the infant associates the caregiver with food.

Question 2

What are the two types of learning theory that apply to the development of attachment?

Answer 2

Classical and operant conditioning

Question 3

describe classical conditioning

Answer 3

Happens when a response produced naturally by a stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus

Question 4

Apply classical conditioning to the attachments learned by food

Answer 4

Food (unconditioned stimulus) = natural response of pleasure (unconditioned response). Is paired with a caregiver (conditioned stimulus). Eventually, infant learns to associate caregiver with pleasure - even without food

Question 5

Describe operant conditioning

Answer 5

where any action with a pleasurable outcome is repeated, the behaviour will also be repeated.

Question 6

Apply operant conditioning to parent-child attachment

Answer 6

Attachments happen as caregiver becomes associated with reduction of hunger (negative re) and they become the source of reinforcement/reward themselves