Leaening Theory And Attachment

Question 1

How does classical conditioning explain attachment

Answer 1

Human becomes conditioned stimulus and so sight of caregiver is conditioned response

Question 2

How can attachment be explained by operant conditioning

Answer 2

1. Can explain crying
2. Crying leads to response of feeding
3. Crying reinforced
4. Caregiver negatively reinforced
5. Mutual reinforcement strengthens attachment

Question 3

Attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 3

1. Idea of drive reduction
2. Huger is primary drive
3. Caregiver provides food so drive generalised to them
4. Attachment thus a secondary drive as a learnt association between caregiver and satisfaction of primary drive

Question 4

Counter evidence from animal studies

Answer 4

1. Lorenz geese imprinted in him regardless of who fed them
2. Harlows monkeys attached to soft mother who didn’t feed them
3. Learning theory suggests drives as the same between humans and animals and if animals didn’t attach by food then humans don’t

Question 5

Counter evidence from human research

Answer 5

Schaffer

1. Babies developed primary attachment to their mother even if other carers did the feeding
2. Showed food does not create attachment

Question 6

Learning theory ignores other factors

Answer 6

1. Research suggests importance of reciprocity and international synchrony
2. If attachment developed due to conditioning there would be no need for these complex interactions

Question 7

Newer STL explanation

Answer 7

Parents teach children to love by modelling attachment behaviour