Learning theory and attachment

Question 1

Main assumptions of the learning theory of attachment..

Answer 1

• Suggests that all infants are born as ‘blank slates
  and that all behaviour is learned rather than innate.
• In other words attachment is a result of nurture rather than nature.

Question 2

Overview (Dollard & Miller)

Answer 2

• Proposed that caregiver-infant attachment an be explained by the learning theory.
• They stated that children learn to love whoever feeds them through the process of classical conditioning.

Question 3

‘Cupboard love theory’

Answer 3

• This theory is often referred to as the ‘cupboard love theory’, because it suggests that the infant becomes attached to a caregiver because it learns that the caregiver will meet their physiological needs (provide the infant with food).

Question 4

Classical conditioning- process

Answer 4

• When the caregiver (NS) provides food (UCS) this creates pleasure (UCR) and overtime they become associated with food.
• When the infant see’s the caregiver they expect food. So the NS becomes the CS as the caregiver produces please which is a conditioned response.

Question 5

Secondary drive/ drive reduction

Answer 5

• Dollard & Miller explain the application of operant conditioning to attachment as ‘drive reduction theory’.
• A ‘drive’ is something that motivates behaviour.
• Discomfort= a drive to reduce discomfort.
• Hungry infant= a drive to reduce hunger.
  *Hunger is a primary drive as it is innate and natural.
  *Attachment is therefore a secondary drive learned by an association between a caregiver and the satisfaction of hunger (the primary drive).

Question 6

Operant conditioning

Answer 6

• Involves learning to repeat a behaviour or not, depending on the consequences.
• If a behaviour produces a pleasant response it is more likely to be repeated.
• The behaviour has been reinforced.
• If the behaviour produces an unpleasant response it is less likely to be repeated.

Question 7

Operant conditioning- in attachment

Answer 7

• OC can explain why babies cry for comfort.
• Crying leads to a response from the caregiver (e.g. feeding).
• As long as the caregiver provides the correct response, crying is reinforced.
• The baby then directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting ‘social suppressors’.
• This reinforcement is a two-way process, at the same time the baby is crying the caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops.
• This strengthens an attachment.

Question 8

Evaluation= Research against the learning theory (Harlow)

Answer 8

Point= Evidence against learning theory comes from Harlow’s research.
Evidence= He found that when a new born Rhesus monkey was separated from their mother at birth and place in a cage with 2 wire ‘mothers’, where one ‘mother’ consisted of exposed wire and a feeding bottle, and the other was wrapped in a soft cloth with no food.
- The monkey’s spent most time with their cloth mother rather than the mother offering food.
Evaluation= This is a weakness because it suggests ‘cupboard love’ is unlikely to explain attachment as the monkeys should have attached to the mother with the food, but often will become attached to the caregiver offering comfort.

Question 9

Evaluation: Schaffer & Emerson

Answer 9

Point= there is strong evidence from studies that suggest attachments that form between an infant and their caregiver are not based on feeding.
Evidence: For example, in Schaffer and Emerson’s study, the first attachments formed by 39% of babies was not to the person who carried out physical care, such as feeding.
- Attachments were more likely to be formed to those individuals who are sensitive and rewarding to the baby.
- This means that food may not be the main reinforcer of attachments, but rather it could be the responsiveness from the caregiver that might also be rewarding.
Evaluation= This is a weakness as it goes against the learning theory’s assumption that infants are more likely to from attachments with adults who meet their physical needs.

Question 10

Evaluation: Animal research

Answer 10

• Learning theory is also critiqued due to its reliance on animal research, calling into question the validity of extrapolating its findings to humans.
• Though behaviourists argue that human and animal learning processes are similar, this perspective is overly simplistic and disregards the complexity of human behaviour.
• This simplification is a limitation of the theory, as it may not encompass all behavioural facets, such as attachment, which could also involve innate predispositions.