Learning theory

Question 1

Outline what the learning theory suggests about the formation of attachment.

Answer 1

-The learning theory suggests infants learn to form attachments through classical conditioning (learning through association) and operant conditioning (learning through the consequences of behaviour)

Question 2

Outline how an infant forms an attachment through classical conditioning.

Answer 2

• Before conditioning the mother is a neutral stimulus and produce no response from the infant. Food is an unconditional stimulus (UCS) and produces an unconditioned response (UCR) which is relief from hunger.
• During conditioning the mother who is the conditioned stimulus (CS) now is paired repeatedly with food which is the UCS which produces a UCR from the infant which is relief from hunger.
• After conditioning the mother alone who is the CS produces a conditioned response (CR) from the infant which is relief from hunger as the infant has learned to associate food with the mother.

Question 3

Outline how infants learn to form attachments through operant conditioning.

Answer 3

• When infants feel discomfort in the form of hunger they will cry, this will lead to the mother feeding them and the discomfort disappearing gives the infant a feeling of satisfaction which feels like a reward to them, this is known as positive reinforcement.
• It is a reciprocal process as the mother as well receives negative reinforcement when feeding the child as they will stop crying when they are fed.
• The primary drive is hunger and the primary reinforcer is food. The secondary reinforcer is the mother and the secondary drive is the formation of attachment.

Question 4

Identify AO3 for learning theory of attachment?

Answer 4

• Harlow
• Based on animal research
• Zaire, Africa
• Bowlby Nature
• Lorenz