Learning theory explanation

Question 1

Who proposed the idea of the learning theory?

Answer 1

Dollard and Miller (1950).

Question 2

What is the theory commonly known as?

Answer 2

The ‘cupboard love’ theory.

Question 3

Why is the theory also known as the cupboard love theory?

Answer 3

Because it emphasises the importance of the caregiver as a provider of food, the baby learns to love whoever feeds them.

Question 4

Which of the key approaches is strongly linked to the cupboard love theory?

Answer 4

The behaviourist approach (conditioning).

Question 5

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one in the same way as we respond to the other.

Question 6

In the learning theory of attachment, what is the unconditioned stimulus during classical conditioning?

Answer 6

Food.

Question 7

In the learning theory of attachment, what is the unconditioned response during classical conditioning?

Answer 7

Pleasure.

Question 8

In the learning theory of attachment, what is the neutral stimulus during classical conditioning?

Answer 8

Caregiver.

Question 9

In the learning theory of attachment, what is the conditioned stimulus during classical conditioning?

Answer 9

Caregiver.

Question 10

In the learning theory of attachment, what is the conditioned response during classical conditioning?

Answer 10

Pleasure.

Question 11

What would a learning theorist refer to as love between a mother and baby?

Answer 11

The conditioned stimulus (caregiver) bringing about the conditioned response (pleasure).

Question 12

Explain the steps in classical conditioning of the learning theory:

Answer 12

Food (US) -> Pleasure (UR),
PCG (NS) -> No response,
Food (US) + PCG (NS) -> Pleasure (UR),
PCG (CS) -> Pleasure (CR).

Question 13

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 13

Learning to repeat behaviours (or not) depending on the consequences of it.

Question 14

What are the three types of operant conditioning?

Answer 14

• Positive reinforcement,
• Negative reinforcement,
• Punishment.

Question 15

What is the main principle behind operant conditioning?

Answer 15

If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated again. If it produces an unpleasant consequence then it is likely to not be repeated again.

Question 16

When is a behaviour seen as being reinforced?

Answer 16

When it is likely to occur again as the consequence is good.

Question 17

How is positive reinforcement shown in the learning theory of attachment?

Answer 17

When the baby cries, the mother decides to feed it. The baby gets pleasure from this and as a result, the baby’s crying is reinforced as it produces a positive outcome.

Question 18

How is negative reinforcement shown in the learning theory of attachment?

Answer 18

The sound of the crying baby is a negative stimulus for mother, when the baby is fed and stops crying the unpleasant stimulus is removed and the mother receives reinforcement for feeding the baby.

Question 19

Who receives negative reinforcement?

Answer 19

The mother.

Question 20

Who receives positive reinforcement?

Answer 20

The baby.

Question 21

What sentence can be used to summarise how operant conditioning builds a bond between mother and baby?

Answer 21

The interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment bond.

Question 22

What is a primary drive?

Answer 22

An innate, biological motivator.

Question 23

What does the learning theory consider a primary drive?

Answer 23

Hunger - (an innate, biological motivator)

Question 24

Explain the concept of drive reduction:

Answer 24

Hunger is a primary drive (innate, biologically motivated), attachments are formed as a secondary drive due to the association with the primary drive.

Question 25

What does the learning theory consider a secondary drive?

Answer 25

Attachment.

Question 26

Why is attachment a secondary drive?

Answer 26

It is learned by association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of fulfilling a primary drive.

Question 27

AO3 - Animal research.

Answer 27

Lorenz’s geese were imprinted before feeding occurred and the original attachment was maintained despite who they were fed by.
Harlow’s monkeys became attached to the soft surrogate rather than the wire mother which dispensed milk.

Question 28

AO3 - Human research.

Answer 28

Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that many babies formed specific attachments to their biological mothers despite being fed by others, showing feeding is not the key element.

Question 29

AO3 - Other factors associated.

Answer 29

Infant-caregiver interaction research suggests that quality of attachment is based upon factors such as reciprocity and synchrony rather than food and the learning theory is too simplistic in this way.

Question 30

AO3 - Partial relevance.

Answer 30

The learning theory uses food as the unconditioned stimulus and primary drive, whilst it is credible that food can be replaced by comfort or other factors and the same idea be used.

Question 31

AO3 - Newer theory explanation.

Answer 31

Hay and Vespo (1988) proposed a newer explanation based upon social learning theory. They suggested that parents teach children attachments by modelling behaviours.

Question 32

Who created a newer version of the learning theory>

Answer 32

Hay and Vespo (1988).