Explanations of Attachment - Theory 1 - Learning Theory Flashcards
What does the learning theory take the approach of?
That the majority of behaviour is learned through our experiences in our environment
When was the learning theory a key theory?
In the 1940s and 50s.
What id the definition of learning theory?
A group of explanations (classical and operant conditioning) which explain behaviour in terms of learning rather than any innate tendencies or higher order thinking.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association.
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through reinforcement.
What does the learning theory propose about newborn children?
They are ‘blank slates’ and everything they become can be explained in terms of experiences they have.
Who is the learning approach put forward by?
Behaviourists.
What do behaviourists focus their explanations on?
What people do rather than what may be going on in their minds.
How do behaviourists suggest attachment behaviour is learned?
Through either classical or operant conditioning.
How may evaluation points do you need to make for a 16 marker?
Three or four well elaborated.
What are the 4 criticisms of the learning theory?
1 - Learning theory is based on research with animals.
2 - Contact comfort is more important than food.
3 - An alternative explanation.
4 - It has some explanatory power.
Criticism about the learning theory being based on research with animals?
Learning theory. is largely based on research with non-human animals, such as Skinner’s research with pigeons.
Behaviourists believe that humans are no different to animals in terms of how they learn. They argue that it is legitimate to generalise animal studies to humans because our behaviour patters are constructed from the same bases of stimulus and response.
Non-Behaviourists argue that attachment involves innate predispositions and mental activity that could be explained in terms of conditioning.
Behaviourists explanation may lack validity because it is an oversimplification of human behaviour.
Criticism about the learning theory by contact conform being more important than food?
This is the main limitation of the learning theory as an explanation for attachment.
Because it suggests that food is the key element in the formation of attachment, in both types of conditioning.
There is strong evidence to show that feeding has nothing to do with attachment. Famously, the study conducted by Harlow in 1959 showed that infant rhesus monkeys were most ‘attached’ to the wire monkey mother that provided contact comfort, rather than food.
Although Harlow’s study is conducted upon animals, it is supported by Schaffer and Emerson’s research.
Not so criticising criticism that the learning theory has some explanatory power?
The learning theory may not provide a complete explanation of attachment, but it has some value.
Infants do learning though association and reinforcement, but food may not be the main reinforcer. It may be due to the attention and responsiveness from a caregiver that is an important rewards that assist the formation of attachment. Such reinforcers were not part of the learning theory.
It may also be that responsiveness is something infants imitate and thus learn about how to conduct relationships.
Criticism that their may be an alternative theory to the learning theory?
One of the main reasons that the learning theory was rejected as an account of attachment is that a better theory appeared.
Bowlby’s theory has many advantages over the learning theory. First of all it can explain why attachment forms, not just how. The learning theory also offers no explanations o the advantages to attachment. Bowlby’s theories suggest that attachment evolved as a behaviour which would enhance survival.
Bowlby’s theory also offers a better explanation of the facts. For example it can explain Schaffer and Emerson’s findings that infants are not always most strongly attached to the person who feeds them.
