*Explanations Of Attachment: Learning Theory Flashcards
What is learning theory?
A set of theories from the behaviourist approach to psychology that emphasize the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour.
What two types of conditioning are included in learning theory?
- Classical conditioning
- Operant conditioning
Who proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory?
Dollard & Miller (1950)
What is a ‘cupboard love’ approach in the context of attachment?
It emphasizes the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food.
Define ‘stimuli’.
Things in your environment that cause a reaction from your body or brain.
What is an unconditioned stimulus?
Something that naturally triggers a response without any learning needed.
What is a neutral stimulus?
Something that produces no response.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning to associate two stimuli together.
In the context of attachment, what serves as an unconditioned stimulus?
Food
What is the significance of a caregiver in classical conditioning?
A caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus and becomes associated with food.
What is a conditioned response in attachment theory?
The sight of the caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure.
Define operant conditioning.
Learning from the consequences of behaviour.
What happens if a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence?
The behaviour is likely to be repeated (reinforced).
What is negative reinforcement in the context of a caregiver and baby?
The caregiver receives negative reinforcement when the baby’s crying stops.
What does the concept of drive reduction refer to?
Motivation to act in order to satisfy biological needs.
What is a primary drive?
An innate, biological motivator, such as hunger.
According to Sears et al (1957), how does attachment become a secondary drive?
Attachment is learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of the primary drive.
What limitation is noted about learning theory regarding animal studies?
Lorenz’s geese imprinted on the first moving object they saw regardless of food association.
What did Harlow’s research with monkeys demonstrate about attachment?
Monkeys displayed attachment behavior towards a soft surrogate ‘mother’ rather than one providing milk.
What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) find regarding human attachment?
Babies tended to form their main attachment to their mother regardless of feeding.
What did Isabella et al (1989) find to be predictive of attachment quality?
High levels of international synchrony.
What is a strength of learning theory regarding attachment?
Elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of attachment.
What is a counterpoint to classical and operant conditioning explanations of attachment?
They see the baby playing a relatively passive role in attachment development.
Fill in the blank: In operant conditioning, if a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence, it is less likely to be _______.
repeated
