Explanations Of Attachment: Learning Theory Flashcards
What is learning theory?
A set of theories from the behaviourist approach that emphasise the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour. Explanations include classical and operant conditioning.
What did Dollard and Miller suggest about attachment?
They suggested that attachment can be explained by learning theory. Virtually all behaviour is learned rather than innate (NURTURE) - only certain behaviours are innate such as crying when you feel pain, and a fear response. Their approach is sometimes known as ‘cupboard love’ because it emphasises the importance of the caregiver providing food - children learn to love whoever feeds them.
According to learning theory, there are two types of conditioning. What are they?
Classical and operant
Briefly outline classical conditioning
Classical conditioning is when a neutral stimulus is consistently paired with an unconditioned stimulus. The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was first produced by the unlearned stimulus alone.
Briefly outline operant conditioning
Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. Possible consequences may include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment.
Is classical conditioning for voluntary behaviours or involuntary behaviours?
Involuntary behaviours
Is operant conditioning for voluntary or involuntary behaviours?
Voluntary behaviours
Describe the classical conditioning method of attachment
In this case of attachment, food serves as an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and being fed gives us the feeling of pleasure (unconditioned response - UCS). We do not have to learn this association! The caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus and when the same person provides food over and over again, they become associated with the food. The person providing the food becomes a conditioned stimulus because they are associated with this pleasure independent of whether food is provided or not. Once conditioning has taken place, the caregiver (CS) produces the conditioned response of pleasure - this is love, according to learning theorists. The parents therefore become secondary reinforcers capable of producing positive learned emotional responses in their child.
Explain the role of operant conditioning in attachment
Operant conditioning is based on the idea that any behaviour that produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated. The behaviour has been reinforced by its pleasant consequence. If behaviour is followed by an unpleasant consequence, then that behaviour is less likely to be repeated.
In attachment, a baby crying for comfort (an important building block for attachment) and then the caregiver responding (e.g. Feeding) is an example of positive reinforcement. As long as the caregiver provides the correct response, crying is reinforced because it produces a pleasurable consequence.
Negative reinforcement is a two way process. At the same time as the baby is being positively reinforced for crying (the consequence is food or comfort), the caregiver also receives negative reinforcement. The caregiver receives negative reinforcement because when they provide comfort/food to the baby to stop it crying it is the subtraction of something unpleasant (baby crying) which will increase their caregiving behaviour.
What is the secondary drive theory?
Learning theory draws on the concept of drive reduction. Hunger is thought to be a primary drive as it is an inborn, biological motivator. We are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive. Sears suggested that caregivers provide food, so the hunger drive is generalised to them.
Attachment is a secondary drive learned through association between caregiver and the satisfaction of the primary drive.
(The caregiver is the secondary drive because they’re what get you to the primary drive).
EVALUATION OF LEARNING THEORY
How is using mainly animal research a limitation learning theory?
Learning theory is largely based on studies with non human animals, like pigeons. Behaviourists believe that humans are no different than other animals in the way that they acquire behaviour - all behaviour patterns are constructed from the basic building blocks of stimulus and response. Behaviourists, therefore argue that we can generalise from animal studies to human behaviour.
The learning theory has been criticised for its reliance on animal studies to explain human behaviour - attachment behaviour in humans is too complex and so it may not be appropriate to apply the findings from animal studies to provide human attachment.
Which animal studies provide evidence against food as the basis of attachment? Explain why.
In addition, some animal studies have shown that young animals do not necessarily imprint on those who feed them:
- in Lorenz’s study, the geese imprinted before they were fed and these attachments were maintained regardless of who fed them. Attachment therefore does not develop as a result of feeding.
- in Harlow’s research the young monkeys attached to the soft cloth surrogate mother (spent more time clinging to her). They only went to the wire mother when they needed milk and then returned to the cloth mother. Showing that contact comfort was more important than being fed.
Behaviourists assume that the learning processed in animals are the same for humans, why is this a limitation of learning theory?
If that is the case, then the attachment processes must be the same as well but the work of Harlow and Lorenz suggests that food does not create the attachment. This highlights major flaws in the learning theory explanation of attachment.
What human research also shows that feeding is not an important factor?
Schaffer and Emerson investigated multiple attachments in infants. Their study of Scottish infants contradicts learning theory because babies would often form multiple attachments - some with those that did not feed them.
These findings show that feelings is not the key element to attachment and so there is not an unconditioned stimulus or primary drive involved.
A limitation is that learning theory ignores other factors linked with attachment, explain why?
Research shows that quality of attachment is associated with developing reciprocity and good levels of interactional synchrony. Studies also show that the best quality attachment are with sensitive carers who pick up infant signals and respond appropriately. It is very hard to reconcile these findings with the idea that attachment develops primarily through feeding.
