explanations of attachment : learning theory

Question 1

what is the cupboard love theory of attachment

Answer 1

Dollard and Miller (1950) proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explaining by learning theory
argues infant gets attached to their caregiver because they are the provider of food

Question 2

how can classical conditioning explain explain the attachment between babies and their parents

Answer 2

classical conditioning, learning due to association

food [unconditioned stimulus] , provides pleasure [unconditioned response]
mother [neutral stimulus], present every time the baby is fed –> conditioned stimulus

mother [conditioned stimulus] –> pleasure [conditioned response]

Question 3

how can operant conditioning explain the attachment between infant and caregiver

Answer 3

operant conditioning learning due to patterns of reinforcement

positive reinforcement - increase likelihood of behaviour by receiving pleasurable stimulus
e.g. parent feed crying baby, baby more likely to repeat crying behaviour to get food, parents respond with social suppressor behaviour

negative reinforcement - increase the likelihood of behaviour by removing an unpleasant stimulus
e.g. parents are more likely to increase feeding the baby to prevent hearing them cry

Question 4

attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 4

hunger = primary drive [innate biological motivator]

secondary drives are learnt by association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive

hunger [primary drive] –> bonding with caregiver [secondary drive] –> being fed [drive reduction]

Question 5

strength of learning theory as an explanation of attachment

Answer 5

P: practical application

E: attachments are formed through observation and imitation as proposed by social learning theory

A: this means it is important that the new parents are positive role models

C: therefore, if they have difficulty being consistent and sensitive then parenting classes should be provided

E: this matters because it could be used to improves people’s lives and parenting skills

-

P: partial explanation

E: this explanation does provide an adequate explanation of how attachment is formed as we learn through association and reinforcement

A: but food may not be the main reinforcer, it may be that attention and responsiveness are the more important factors that create a bond

C: strength as it provides a partial explanation, there is still some value in the theory

E: matters bc we need to look towards other theory like bowlby’s

Question 6

weakness of learning theory as an explanation of attachment

Answer 6

P: counter-evidence from human studies

E: schaffer and emerson (1964) found that many babes were not necessarily attached to the person who fed them the most

A: this means that food is not the main factor in the formation of relationships

C: therefore, social learning theory is not a valid explanation of attachment as there is evidence undermining the key assumption

E:

P: counter-evidence from animal studies

E: lorenz’s geese imprinted on the first moving object they saw and harlow’s monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference to a wire one with milk

A: in both of these animal studies, attachment did not develop as a result of feeding

C: therefore, factors other than feeding are important in attachment foundation for example level of responsiveness n and comfort

E: