Learning Theory AO3

Question 1

Limitation

Answer 1

-lack of support from studies conducted on animals
-lorenz’s geese imprinted first moving object seen even if the object was associated with food
-harlow’s research with monkeys, no support for importance of food
-shows factors other than association with food are important

Question 2

Limitation

Answer 2

-lack of support from studies of human babies.
-schaffer and emerson found babies tend to maintain attachment to their mother regardless of whether she fed them
-isabella et al., high interactional synchrony was not related to feeding
-suggests food is not the main factor in formation of human attachments.

Question 3

Strength

Answer 3

-elements of conditioning could be involved in some aspects of attachment
- unlikely that association with food plays central role in attachment, conditioning may still play a role
-e.g. baby associates warmth and comfort with presence of certain adult, may influence baby’s choice of main attachment figure.
-means that learning theory may still be useful in understanding development of attachments.

Question 4

Counterpoint

Answer 4

both classical and operant conditioning explanations see the baby playing passive role in attachment development
-research shows babies take a very active role in interactions that produce attachment
-means that conditioning may not be an explanation of any aspect of attachment.