learning theory evaluation

Question 1

The theory has face validity → it ‘makes sense’ that babies would cry more if they learnt it gained them attention

Question 2

Animal studies provide evidence against food as the basis of attachment

Answer 2

• Lorenz’s imprinted geese maintained attachments regardless of who fed them
• Harlow’s monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference to a wire one with milk

Question 3

Human research shows that feeding is not an important factor

Answer 3

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) showed that for many babies a primary attachment was not to the person who fed them

Question 4

• Learning theory ignores other factors linked with attachment such as reciprocity and interactional synchrony
  ● There are alternative explanations of attachment such as Bowlby’s monotropic theory

Question 5

Some elements of conditioning could still be involved

Answer 5

• The main problem with learning theory is the idea that deeding provides the UCS, reinforcement or primary drive
• However, many aspects of human development are affected by conditioning so it seems plausible that it could still play a role in attachment (but not in relation to feeding)