Learning theory explanation Flashcards
Who proposed the idea of the learning theory?
Dollard and Miller (1950).
What is the theory commonly known as?
The ‘cupboard love’ theory.
Why is the theory also known as the cupboard love theory?
Because it emphasises the importance of the caregiver as a provider of food, the baby learns to love whoever feeds them.
Which of the key approaches is strongly linked to the cupboard love theory?
The behaviourist approach (conditioning).
What is classical conditioning?
Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one in the same way as we respond to the other.
In the learning theory of attachment, what is the unconditioned stimulus during classical conditioning?
Food.
In the learning theory of attachment, what is the unconditioned response during classical conditioning?
Pleasure.
In the learning theory of attachment, what is the neutral stimulus during classical conditioning?
Caregiver.
In the learning theory of attachment, what is the conditioned stimulus during classical conditioning?
Caregiver.
In the learning theory of attachment, what is the conditioned response during classical conditioning?
Pleasure.
What would a learning theorist refer to as love between a mother and baby?
The conditioned stimulus (caregiver) bringing about the conditioned response (pleasure).
Explain the steps in classical conditioning of the learning theory:
Food (US) -> Pleasure (UR),
PCG (NS) -> No response,
Food (US) + PCG (NS) -> Pleasure (UR),
PCG (CS) -> Pleasure (CR).
What is operant conditioning?
Learning to repeat behaviours (or not) depending on the consequences of it.
What are the three types of operant conditioning?
- Positive reinforcement,
- Negative reinforcement,
- Punishment.
What is the main principle behind operant conditioning?
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.
When is a behaviour seen as being reinforced?
When it is likely to occur again as the consequence is good.
How is positive reinforcement shown in the learning theory of attachment?
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.
How is negative reinforcement shown in the learning theory of attachment?
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.
Who receives negative reinforcement?
The mother.
Who receives positive reinforcement?
The baby.
What sentence can be used to summarise how operant conditioning builds a bond between mother and baby?
The interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment bond.
What is a primary drive?
An innate, biological motivator.
What does the learning theory consider a primary drive?
Hunger - (an innate, biological motivator)
Explain the concept of drive reduction:
Hunger is a primary drive (innate, biologically motivated), attachments are formed as a secondary drive due to the association with the primary drive.
What does the learning theory consider a secondary drive?
Attachment.
Why is attachment a secondary drive?
It is learned by association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of fulfilling a primary drive.
AO3 - Animal research.
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.
AO3 - Human research.
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.
AO3 - Other factors associated.
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.
AO3 - Partial relevance.
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.
AO3 - Newer theory explanation.
Hay and Vespo (1988) proposed a newer explanation based upon social learning theory. They suggested that parents teach children attachments by modelling behaviours.
Who created a newer version of the learning theory>
Hay and Vespo (1988).
