Explanations of attachment: Learning theory Flashcards
What is this approach also known as?
‘Cupboard love approach’ because it emphasises the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food.
What is classical conditioning?
involves learning to associate two stimuli together so we begin to respond to one in the same way we already respond to the other.
What is the unconditioned stimulus in learning theory of attachment?
Food
What is the neutral stimulus in learning theory of attachment?
Caregiver
What is the conditioned stimulus?
The caregiver becomes a conditioned stimulus once conditioning has taken place
What is an unconditioned stimulus?
Unconditioned stimulus (US): A stimulus that naturally triggers a response
What is an unconditioned response?
Unconditioned response (UR): The automatic reaction to the US
What is a conditioned stimulus?
Conditioned stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that becomes associated with the US
What is a conditioned response?
Conditioned response (CR): The learned response to the CS
What is operant conditioning?
Involves learning from the consequences of behaviour. If behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated again - reinforced. If a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence (punishment), it is less likely to be repeated.
Baby cry = caregiver respond = reinforced behaviour = leads to baby directing crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting ‘social supressor’ behaviour.
This reinforcement is a two-way process, same time baby is reinforced for crying, the caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops - escaping from something unpleasant is reinforcing. This interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens an attachment.
What is the primary drive in learning theory?
Hunger can be thought of as the primary drive - it’s an innate, biological motivator. We are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive.
What is the secondary drive in learning theory?
As caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them.
Attachment is thus a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.
Evaluation for Learning theory
Counter evidence from animal studies:
- lack of support from studies conducted on animals
- Lorenz geese imprinted on first object they saw regardless of food
- Harlow’s monkeys displayed attachment behaviour towards a soft surrogate ‘mother’ in preference to a wire which provided milk (food)
This shows that factors other than association with food are important in the formation of attachments
Counter evidence from studies on humans:
- Schaffer and Emerson found that babies tended to form attachments to their mother regardless of whether she was the one who usually fed them
- Isabella found that high levels of interactional synchrony predicted the quality of attachment
- these factors are unrelated to food/feeding
This again suggests that food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments
Some conditioning may be involved:
- one strength is that elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of attachment
- association with food may not play a central role in attachment, but conditioning may still play a role
- baby may feel warm and comfortable with a certain adult, this could influence their choice of their main attachment figure
This means that learning theory may still be useful in understanding the development of attachments
Counterpoint:
- Both classical and operant conditioning show the baby playing a passive role in attachment development, simply responding to associations with comfort or reward
- when in fact babies take a very active role in interactions that produce attachment (Feldman and Eidelman 2007)
This means that conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment
Social learning theory:
- the perspective of learning theory that states that reinforcement is a two way process/interaction between baby and adult, fits better with research into the importance of reciprocity
