Learning theory

Question 1

How does classical conditioning explain attachment?

Answer 1

• stimulus - event that causes a response
• response - action made because stimulus is detected
• innate - instinctive
• conditioned - learned

Question 2

What is the process of classical conditioning?

Answer 2

step 1 = food (unconditioned stimulus) -> dog drools (unconditioned response)
step 2 = bell (neutral stimulus) + food (unconditioned stimulus) -> dog drools (unconditioned response)
step 3 = bell (conditioned stimulus) -> dog drools (conditioned response to bell)

Question 3

How does operant conditioning explain attachment?

Answer 3

operant = action (rat pressing a lever in a box or a baby crying with hunger
reward = consequences of an action (rat receiving food for pressing a lever or a baby being given food)
reinforcer = reward acts as a reinforcer because it causes the action to be repeated

Question 4

Operant conditioning experiment:

Answer 4

• BF Skinner
• Mouse performs action: pressing the lever
• Reward reinforces the action so mouse repeats
• Mouse receives a reward: food relieves hunger

Question 5

What is the social learning theory?

Answer 5

Learning through observations, imitation and modelling of another person, suggests behaviour is learnt through observing the behaviour of others