Learning theory ATM

Question 1

learning theory

Answer 1

Set of theories from the behaviourist approach that emphasise the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour

Question 2

Dollard and Miller said …

Answer 2

learning theory can explain caregiver-infant attachment. The approach can be described as ‘cupboard love’ as the attachment figure provides food (children love whoever feeds them)

Question 3

calssical conditioning

Answer 3

• Food serves as an unconditioned stimulus
• The pleasure from food is an unconditioned response
• The caregiver begins as a neutral stimulus
• The neutral stimulus can become a conditioned stimulus when the baby associates the caregiver with food
• Seeing the caregiver produces a conditioned response of love as an attachment is formed

Question 4

operant conditioning

Answer 4

• Explains why babies cry for comfort
• Crying elicits a response from the caregiver eg changing a nappy
• When the caregiver gives the right response, crying is reinforced
• Crying gets directed for comfort from the caregiver as they respond with comforting ‘social suppressor’ behaviour
• Two-way process
• Caregiver receives negative reinforcement as the baby stops crying

Question 5

attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 5

Drive reduction concept
Hunger is an example of a primary drive (innate, biological motivator)

Question 6

**Sears et al ** says …

Answer 6

hunger (as a primary drive) can become generalised to the caregiver who provides the food. Therefore attachment is a secondry drive , which is learned through association

Question 7

counter-evidence from counter studies

limitation

Answer 7

Lack of support from animal studies
* Lorenz’s geese imprinting
* Imprintee wasn’t always associated with food
* Harlow’s monkeys
* Attachment towards soft mother
Not just association with food are important in making attachments

Question 8

counter-evidence from studies on humans

limitation

Answer 8

Lack of support on studies of babies
* Schaffer and Emerson found babies main attachment is mother
* Isabella and interactional synchrony
* These are not related to feeding
Food is not the main factor in forming human attachments

Question 9

some conditioning may be involved and counterpoint

strength and limitation

Answer 9

Some elements may be involved
* Unlikely that food plays a central role
* Conditioning plays a role
* Baby might associate feeling warm and safe with a particular adult
* Influence babies choice in main attachment figure
Learning theory might still be useful in understanding attachment making

BUT
* Classical and operant conditioning see baby in a passive role in attachment development
* Babies actually take an active role in interactions (Feldman and Eidelman)
Conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment

Question 10

cupboard love puts things the wrong way round

liitation

Answer 10

• Schaffer
• Babies do not ‘live to eat’ they ‘eat to live’
• Actively seek stimulation
• Don’t passively receive nutrition

Question 11

Too reductionist

limitation

Answer 11

• Environmental Reductionism
• Reducing an attachment down to simple stimulus response - food and comfort from the environment.
  Ignore complexity of human attachment systems → too simplistic an explanation.