Learning Theory^

Question 1

Dollard & Miller

Answer 1

caregiver - infant attachment can be explained by learning theory
cupboard love
- caregiver is important to provide food

Question 2

Classical Conditioning

Answer 2

associating food with the mother though a conditioning process

Question 3

Operant Conditioning

Answer 3

learning to repeat a beh or not based on its consequence

Question 4

Animal Studies

Answer 4

counter evidence from AS
Lorenz
- geese imprinted on the first moving object, not associated with food
Harlow
- no support for food importance
- pick comfort over food
Factors other than food are important

Question 5

Human Studies

Answer 5

lacks support from studies of babies
Schaffer & Emerson
- babies form main attachment to mother
- regardless if she feed them or not
Isabella et al
- high levels of interactional synchrony

Question 6

Conditioning

Answer 6

cond. involved
unlikely that association with food has a central role
- but conditioning still play a role
LT useful in understanding the development of attachment

Question 7

VS Conditioning

Answer 7

both CC and OC have a passive role in attach. dev.
- responding with comfort
Fieldman & Eidelman
- babies have an active role in interactions that produce attach.
Conditioning may not be a good explanation