Explanations Of Attachment: Learning Theory

Question 1

Classical conditioning

Answer 1

• food (UCS) being fed gives us pleasure (UCR) caregiver (NS), when the caregiver provides food over time they become associated with food. When baby sees this person, expect food (NS becomes CS). Sight of the caregiver produces pleasure (CR)
• pleasure response is love

Question 2

Operant conditioning

Answer 2

• can explain why babies cry for comfort {important beh in building attachment}
• crying leads to response from the caregiver e.g. feeding
• as long as the caregiver provides correct response, crying reinforced
• baby directs crying for comfort towards the C.G who responds with comforting ‘social suppressor’ beh.
• caregiver receives -tive reinforcement as crying stops, the interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens Attachment

Question 3

Attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 3

• learning theory draws on concept of drive reduction
• hunger = primary drive, its innate - we are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive
  Robert Sears et al; suggested - C.G provide food, the primary drive of hunger is generalised to them
• A is thus a secondary drive by an association between the C.G and the satisfaction of a primary drive

Question 4

Evaluate the learning theory as an explanation for attachment - strengths

Answer 4

STRENGTH:
Elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of A
- association with food key in A, but conditioning may play a role
- baby may feel comfort from presence of adult influences the P.A figure
Learning theory useful in understanding the dev of A
COUNTERPOINT:
Classical + operant say that the baby is passive in A dev, by responding to associations with comfort/reward; research shows that baby’s are active in forming A - not an Adequate explanation for A

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

LIMITATIONS:
Lack of support from studies conducted on animals; Lorenz’s geese imprinted on the first thing that moved regardless of food or not + Harlows monkeys chose contract comfort over the milk
- shows that factors other than association with food are important in the formation of A

LIMITATION:
Lack of support from studies of human babies
- Schaffer + Emmerson; babies formed main A with mother regardless if she did or didnt feed them
Food not the main factor in forming human A