Explanations of attachment: Learning theory

Question 1

What is learning theory?

Answer 1

• a set of theories from the behaviorist approach that emphasise the role of learning in behaviour
• caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory

Question 2

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

• involved learning by associating 2 stimuli together so we begin to respond to both the same way as we respond to one
• e.g. food is UCS, pleasure is UCR, mother is NS so when food and mother are associated together the UCR is pleasure and eventually the CS is the mother and the CR is pleasure

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

• involves learning to repeat or not repeat behaviour based on the consequences
• if behaviour produces a pleasant consequence it’s more likely to be repeated and has been reinforced
• if behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence it’s less likely to be repeated

Question 4

How does operant conditioning explain why babies cry for comfort?

Answer 4

• crying leads to response from caregiver e.g. feeding
• crying is reinforced when caregiver provides the correct response
• while the baby is reinforced for crying the caregiver receives negative reinforcement since the crying stops (escaping from something unpleasant is reinforcing)
• this mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment

Question 5

What is drive reduction?

Answer 5

When humans have a physical or psychological need they feel the drive to satisfy it

Question 6

What is the concept of drive reduction emphasised by learning theory?

Answer 6

• hunger is seen as a primary drive since it’s an innate motivator
• attachment is therefore a secondary drive since it’s learned by association between caregiver & satisfaction of primary drive (e.g. hunger)

Question 7

Evaluation: Counter-evidence from animal research

Answer 7

• many animal studies show that young animals don’t just attach to/ imprint on those who feed them
• e.g. Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed & maintained attachments despite who fed them
• e.g. Harlow’s monkeys attached to the cloth-covered mother even though the wire mother with the food dispenser was also there
• this means that food doesn’t form the attachment bond for animals and humans too since learning theorists see non-human animals & humans as equivalent

Question 8

Evaluation: Counter-evidence from human research

Answer 8

• research from human infants also show that feeding isn’t an important factor in humans
• e.g. in Schaffer & Emerson’s study many of the babies developed their primary attachment to their biological mother despite the fact that other carers did most the feeding
• these findings are a limitation for learning theory as they show that feeding isn’t an important factor for attachment so there is no UCS or primary drive involved

Question 9

Evaluation: Learning theory ignores other factors associated with forming attachments

Answer 9

• research into early infant- caregiver interaction suggests that the quality of attachment is associated with other factors like reciprocity & interactional synchrony
• studies have also shown that the best quality attachments are with sensitive carers who respond appropriately & constantly to infants
• this is a limitation for learning theory as there would be no purpose for complex interactions if attachments purely developed from feeding

Question 10

Evaluation: A newer learning theory explanation

Answer 10

• Hay & Vespo have proposed a newer explanation for infant-caregiver attachment based on the social learning theory
• SLT is based on the idea that social behaviour is acquired mainly from modelling & imitation
• Hay & Vespo suggest that parents teach children to love them by modelling attachment behaviour e.g. hugging them & others and rewarding them with approval