Learning theory Flashcards
What is the learning theory explanations of attachment?
Dollard and Miller (1950) proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by this.
It suggests that attachments are formed when an infant receives food - they learn to ‘love’ the person who feeds them- this is the ‘cupboard love’ idea.
Describe the classical conditioning method of attachment.
Unconditioned stimulus - food.
Unconditioned response - Unlearned reaction that food gives us pleasure.
Neutral stimulus - Caregiver.
Conditioned stimulus - Caregiver provides food over time they become associated with food. When the baby sees this person they expect food.
Conditioned response - Once conditioning takes place the sight of the caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure.
Describe the operant conditioning method of attachment.
Explains why baby cry for comfort - an important behaviour in building attachment.
Positive reinforcement - Crying leads to a response from the caregiver for example feeding.
Baby directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting ‘social suppressor’ behaviour.
Reinforcement is a two-way process.
Negative reinforcement - Caregiver 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.
Primary drive - Hunger as it’s an innate and biological motivator. We are motivate to eat to reduce hunger drive.
Secondary drive - Attachment to caregiver because they reduce hunger the satisfaction of primary drive becomes associated to them.
What is the strength of learning theory?
Is that some elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of attachment.
Unlikely association with food plays a central role in attachment, but conditioning may play a role.
For example, a baby may associate feeling warm and comfortable with the presence of a particular adult and this may influence the baby’s choice of their main attachment figure.
May still be useful in understanding the development of attachments.
Explain the counterargument of there being some elements of conditioning involved in aspects of attachments.
Both classical and operant conditioning explanations see the baby playing a relatively passive role in attachment by simply responding to associations with comfort or reward. In fact research shows that babies take a very active role in the interactions that produce attachment.
What are the limitations of learning theory?
Counter-evidence from animal studies: Lorenz geese imprinted. Harlow's monkeys preference for cloth mother. Counter-evidence from studies on humans: Schaffer and Emerson (1964). Isabelle et al.
Give the counter-evidence for Lorenz’s research.
Geese imprinted on the first object they saw regardless of whether this object was associated with food.
Give the counter-evidence for Harlow’s research.
Harlow’s monkeys displayed attachment behaviour towards soft surrogate mother in preference to wire one which provided milk.
This is a weakness because it suggests ‘cupboard love’ is unlikely to explain attachment as the monkeys should have attached to the mother with food but often will become attached to the caregiver offering comfort..
What did Schaffer and Emmerson find?
That babies tended to form their main attachments to their mother regardless of whether she was the one who fed them.
What did Isabelle et al. find?
That high levels of interactional synchrony predicted the quality of attachment. These factors aren’t related to feeding. Suggests that food isn’t the main factor in the formation of human attachments.
What is a strength of learning theory?
Some conditioning may be involved.
Unlikely association with food play central role in attachment but may instead associate feeling warm and comfortable with the presence of a particular adult influencing choice of main attachment figure.
Give a counterpoint for there being conditioning involved.
Both conditioning explanations see the baby playing a passive role in attachment - just responding associations with comfort or reward. Research shows that babies take an active role in the interactions.
