Learning Theory Of Attachment

Question 1

Classical conditioning

Answer 1

Learning by association
Suggests we have to learn to attach and happens because of food

UCS- milk
UCR- pleasure
NS- mother
CS- mother
CR- pleasure

Question 2

Classical conditioning suggest

Answer 2

Baby begins to associate mother with milk and the pleasure of milk
-so even without milk the baby becomes happy when seeing the mum.

Question 3

Operant conditioning

Answer 3

Learning through actions rewards

Baby cries (behaviour ) = baby gets fed (reward)
Reward reinforces behaviour so baby repeats behaviour

Question 4

What’s cupboard love

Answer 4

Pleasure from food helps form attachment

Question 5

Evaluation

Answer 5

❌- evidence against - Lorenz geece attach to first thing they see with our reward (food) shows attachment is innate
❌- Harlows monkeys - attach to cloth mother despite wire mother feeding them - attachment formed of contact comfort