Learning Theory Of Attachment Flashcards
Idea behind learning theory of attachment
Idea of cupboard love- we attach to person providing food
Hunger is the primary driver and attachment is the result of association formed between caregiver and satisfaction of the primary drive reduction (feel less hungry)
Classical and operant conditioning
Classical conditioning for an attachment
(BDA conditioning)
Before:
US: food -> UR: happy/feelings of pleasure that come with being fed
During:
NS: mother + US: food -> UR: happy baby/pleasure
After:
CS: mother -> CR: happy baby/pleasure
Child becomes conditioned to be happy when the mother is near- beginning of attachment
Mother meets child’s physiological needs- cupboard love
operant conditioning for an attachment
Baby is positively reinforced to form attachment bond with mum.
Baby cries and mum provides food – a reward – so likely to cry for mum in future.
Mum is negatively reinforced to form attachment bond with baby.
Mum wants to avoid the crying to so will keep repeating feeding behaviour.
Primary reinforcer = Food
Secondary reinforcer = Mum
drive reduction theory
hunger is primary drive- innate and biological motivator.
we are motivated to eat to reduce this hunger drive
when food is given by caregiver, the drive of hunger is associated to them
Sears- Attachment is a secondary drive: it is learned by the association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of the primary drive
social learning theory
Hay and Vespo
parents teach children to love them demonstrating/modelling attachment behaviours e.g.. hugging
parents reinforce loving behaviour by showing approval when babies demonstrate attachment behaviours of their own e.g.. hugs or giving attention
social learning has advantage of being based around two way interaction between baby and adult so fits with research into reciprocity
limitation learning theory of attachment (animal)
Lorenz geese imprinted on first moving object regardless of food
Harlow monkey attach to cloth over food providing wire
counter evidence from studies, suggests conditioning not most important part, other important factors
HOWEVER: cant generalise from animals to humans
limitation learning theory of attachment (S+E/I)
Schaffer and Emerson found babies attach to mother regardless of if she fed them most or not
+
Isabella found high levels of interactional synchrony predicted quality of attachment rather than conditioning
PEEL example
P
E
E- counter as… learning theory says this but the evidence says this
L- therefore shows factors other than association and conditioning are important for forming attachment
strength learning theory of attachment (useful)
provides evidence for role of conditioning in attachment
e.g.. baby associates feeling of warmth and comfort with presence of certain adult which influences their choice of attachment figure
helps provide some understand attachment development despite not fully explaining
adds validity
