Explanations of Attachment: Learning Theory

Question 1

Learning Theory:

Answer 1

1. Dollard and Miller (1950) proposed that caregiver-infant interaction can be explained by learning theory.
2. Children learn to love who feeds them.

Question 2

Classical Conditioning:

Answer 2

Involves learning to associate 2 stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one in the same way as another

Question 3

Classical Conditioning In Context:

Answer 3

1. Food is an unconditioned stimulus, pleasure is an unconditioned response.
2. Caregiver is a neutral stimulus- produces a neutral response.
3. Caregiver associated with the expectation of giving food has now become a conditioned stimulus.
4. Once conditioning has taken place the sight of the caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure.

Question 4

Operant Conditioning:

Answer 4

1. Involves learning to repeat behaviour depending on the consequences. Positive increases likelihood of repeating behaviour, negative is the opposite.
2. The reinforcement is a 2 way process, the baby is reinforced for crying, the caregiver receives negative reinforcement.

Question 5

Attachment as a Secondary Drive:

Answer 5

1.Learning theory draws on the concept of drive reduction.
2. Hunger can be thought of as a primary drive, innate and biological motivator.
3. We are motivated to eat to reduce the hunger drive.
4. Sears at al. 1957 suggested that as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them.
4. Attachment is a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.

Question 6

E: Counter Evidence Animal Research

Answer 6

1. A range of animal studies has shown that actually young animals do not necessarily attach to those who feed them.
2. Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed and they maintained these attachments regardless of who fed them. Harlow monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference to a wire who dispensed milk.
3. Attachment does not develop through feeding, same must be true for humans.
4. Learning theorists themselves believed that non-human animals and humans were equivalent.

Question 7

E: Counter evidence from human research

Answer 7

1. Research with human infants also shows that feeding does not appear to be an important factor in humans.
2. Schaffer and Emerson’s study many of the babies developed a primary attachment to their biological mothers even though other carers did most of the feeding.
3. Feeding is not a key element so there is no unconditioned stimulus or primary drive involved.

Question 8

E: Learning theory ignores other factors

Answer 8

1. Research into early infant-caregiver interaction suggests that the quality of attachment is associated with factors like developing reciprocity and good levels of interactional synchrony. (Isabella et al 1989).
2. In addition research shows that the best quality attachments are with sensitive carers that pick up on infant signals and respond appropriately.
3. If attachment developed purely or primarily as a result of deeding, there would e no need for these complex interaction or any relationship between them and the quality of caregiver infant interaction.

Question 9

E: Some elements of conditioning could still be involved

Answer 9

1. It is fairly certain that taken as a whole SLT is not a good explanation for ICA.
2. However, we do believe that many aspects of human development are affected by conditioning.
3. The problem is the idea that feeding provides the unconditioned stimulus or primary drive.
4. It is still credible that association between the primary caregiver and the provision of comfort and social interaction is part of what builds the attachments.