Learning Theories of Attachement Flashcards
What does the learning theory of attachment suggest?
That infants learn to form an attachment with their mother.
In classical conditioning the intimate stimulus is what?
The food (unconditioned stimulus)
In classical conditioning the innate response is what?
Pleasure (unconditioned response)
In classical conditioning what is the neutral stimulus?
The mother/caregiver who produces a neutral response
What happens first in classical conditioning?
The infant feels pleasure and comfort from food. (Innate stimulus response).
What happens each time the infant is fed in classical conditioning?
The mother/caregiver becomes associated with the pleasure of being fed. The mother becomes a conditioned stimulus and produces the conditioned response of pleasure and the feeling of pleasure is stimulated even without food
When classical conditioning is associated the infant feels what when the mother is around?
Happier, this is the beginning of attachment.
Positive reinforcement?
Increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated as it involves a reward for a behaviour. As long as the caregiver provides the correct response the reward reinforces the action so the infant repeats it
What is an example of positive reinforcement?
Infants cry for comfort and leads to a response form a caregiver such as feeding
Negative reinforcement?
This increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated as it involves the removal of, or escape Demi unpleasant consequences.
What is an example of negative reinforcement?
When the infant is fed, the crying stops. The caregiver is escaping the unpleasant crying. This reinforces the action so the mother repeats it and feeds the infant when they cry.
Drive reduction
This argues that when we feel discomfort, this creates a drive to reduce this comfort
According to operant condition the food does what?
Satisfy the infants hunger and makes it comfortable again (drive reduction). This rewards the infant (positive reinforcement).
The food in operant condition is the what?
Primary reinforcer as it supplies a reward. The mother supply’s the food is associated with the food and becomes a secondary reinforcer. The infant is attached to the mother as she is a source of reward.
