learning theory of attachment

Question 1

what is the learning theory

Answer 1

the name given to a group of explanations which explain behaviour in terms of learning rather than any inborn tendencies or high levels of thinking

Question 2

what does the learning theory suggest about attachment

Answer 2

• that children are born with blank slates and everything can be explained based on experiences they have
• behaviourists suggest that all behaviour is learned through classical and operant conditioning

Question 3

outline how classical conditioning is used to explain attachment

Answer 3

1) an unconditioned stimulus of food provided an unconditioned response of pleasure
2) the infant associated the food with things present during feeding such as the mother (the neutral stimulus)
3) if the NS is constantly associated with food it becomes the conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response of pleasure
4) therefore the mother is now associated with the feeling of pleasure and an attachment is formed

Question 4

outline how operant conditioning is used to explain attachment

Answer 4

1) when an infant is hungry there is a drive to reduce the accompanying discomfort
2) when the infant is fed the drive is reduced producing a feeling of pleasure- a reward
3) this negative reinforcement leads to the behavior being repeated in the future
4) food becomes the primary reinforcer
5) through the process of classical conditioning the person who supplies the food is associated with avoided discomfort and becomes a secondary reinforcer
6) the child seeks the individual who supplies the food

Question 5

outline how the social learning theory can be used to explain attachment

Answer 5

1) suggests that modeling can be used to explain the formation of an attachment
2) the infant observes their parent’s affectionate behaviour and imitates this
3) parents would instruct their children how to behave and reward appropriate behaviour with hugs and kisses

Question 6

evaluate the learning theory as an explanation for attachment

Answer 6

1) based on animal studies- use of non-human animals, behaviorists argue that humans are no different from animals and patterns of behavior are built from the same building blocks of stimulus and response. However human behavior can be argued to be more complex and a higher level of functioning suggesting the results from animal studies cant be generalized decreasing internal validity
2) nature vs nurture= limited explanation on formation of attachment and ignores biological processes such as Lorenz research which claims individuals are pre-programmed to form attachments in order to survive
3) attachment may not be based on food-strong evidence that feeding has nothing to do with attachment such as Harlows monkey study which showed monkeys were most attached to the mother that offered comfort. this suggests that learning explanations are over simplified and ignore other factors such as contact comfort