explanations of attachment: learning theory

Question 1

Dolland & Miller (1950)

Answer 1

• proposed that attachment could be explained using learning theory
• often called ‘cupboard love’ as we learn to love the person who feeds us
  attachment through classical conditioning food (ucs) produces pleasure (ucr)
  association of mother with food
  mother = cs
  happiness = cr

Question 2

attachment through operant conditioning

Answer 2

• infants is fed and the drive for hunger is reduced which produces feelings of pleasure (positive reinforcement)
• food becomes primary reinforcer and foodgiver becomes secondary reinforcer
• so the primary caregiver is seen as a source of reward so an attachment forms

Question 3

Sears et al (1957): drive reduction

Answer 3

• because caregivers provide food, primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them
• attachment is then a secondary drive which is learnt through association between caregiver & satisfaction of primary drive

Question 4

AO3: lack of support from animal studies (weakness)

Answer 4

• Lorenz’s geese imprinted on the 1st moving object they saw which wasn’t associated with food
• Harlow’s monkey’s showed attachment behaviour towards a ‘soft surrogate mother’ instead of the wire one which provided milk
• shows that there are other factors other than food which are more important

Question 5

AO3: lack of support from human studies (weakness)

Answer 5

• Schaffer & Emerson = found that babies form their main attachment to the mother regardless if she was the one who fed them
• Isabella et al = found high levels of synchrony predicted quality of attachment
• suggests that food isn’t the main reason babies form attachments

Question 6

AO3: some conditioning may be involved (strength)

Answer 6

• elements of conditioning could be involved in attachment
• unlikely that association with food is a central role in attachment
• baby may associate feeling warm and comfortable with a particular person which may influence the main attachment figure
• learning theory is still useful in understanding the development of attachments

Question 7

AO3: conditioning isn’t an good explanation (weakness)

Answer 7

• classical & operant conditioning sees the baby as having a passive role in the development of an attachment
• Feldman & Eidelman = have an active role in forming attachments

Question 8

AO3 : social learning theory (strength)

Answer 8

• Hay & Vespo = suggested that parents teach children to love them through modelling attachment behaviours
• parents reinforce loving behaviour by showing babies approval for displaying their own attachment behaviours ( attention/ cuddles to parents)