Learning theory of attachment Flashcards
What is the cupboard Love theory
The importance of the caregiver as a provider of food
-The children learn to love whoever feeds them
What is classical conditioning
-Learning due to association
-When two stimuli are presented to a creature at the same time, an association can form
Give an example of conditioning using Food as the unconditioned stimulus and mother as the Neutral stimulus (4)
*Food(Unconditioned stimulus) –>Pleasure(unconditioned response)
*Mother(neutral stimulus)–>No response
*Food(Unconditioned stimulus) + Mother(neutral stimulus)–>Pleasure (unconditioned response)
*Mother(conditioned stimulus) –>Pleasure(conditioned response)
Apply classical conditioning to attachment (3)
*Being fed gives us pleasure – we don’t learn that (it is an unconditioned response)
*The caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus but when the same person provides food over time we associate them with food
*After conditioning the sight of the caregiver produces a feeling of pleasure (conditioned response)
What is operant conditioning and What is positive and negative reinforcement
-Learning through consequences.
-Behaviour which produces a pleasant consequence is likely to be repeated (positive reinforcement)
-Behaviour which avoids an unpleasant consequence is likely to be repeated (negative reinforcement)
Give an example as to how you can apply negative reinforcement to food and children
*Giving milk to a baby as a response to a baby crying is positive reinforcement
*Parents behaviour is manipulated by crying crying is an unpleasant stimulus and the baby stops crying when the parent provides care → Negative reinforcement
What is a drive
Desire to complete an action
Counter evidence from animal research weakness
Two specific studies show that animals do not necessarily attach to (or imprint on) those who feed them. Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed and maintained these attachments regardless of who fed them.Harlow’s monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference to a wire one that dispensed milk In both these animal studies it is clear that attachment does not develop as result of feeding.The same must be true for humans i.e that food does not create an emotional bond.
Counter evidence from human research-Weakness
Research with humans also shows that feeding does not appear to be an important factor in humans. For example, in Schaffer and Emerson’s study many of the babies developed a primary attachment to their biological mother even though other careers did most of the feeding.These findings oppose the learning theory as they show that feeding is not the key element to attachment and so there is not primary drive involved (Opposes cupboard love theory)
Learning theory ignores other factors associated with forming attachments
Research into early infant-caregiver interactions suggest that the quality of attachment is associated with factors like developing reciprocity and good levels of international synchrony (e.g. isabella et al 1989) in addition, studies have shown that the best quality attachments are with sensitive carers that pick up infant signals and respond appropriately. It is very hard to reconcile these findings with the idea of cupboard love theory . If attachment developed purely or primarily as a result of feeding there would be no purpose of these complex interactions and we would not expect to find relationships between them and the quality of infant caregiver attachment
What is a Primary drive and give an example
An innate biological motivator
Hunger/Sex
What are secondary drives
Secondary drives are learnt e.g. according to the cupboard love theory we learn as infants to want attachment because we learn that secondary drive will ultimately lead to a satisfying primary drive
What is the Learning theory
a set of theories from the behaviourst approach to psychology, that emphasise the role of learning in acquisition of behaviour
