The Learning Theory

Question 1

describe classical conditioning

Answer 1

• creates the attachment
• babies form an attachment through association (they associate their caregiver with the pleasure of milk)
• milk is an unconditioned stimulus which leads to the unconditioned response of pleasure
• over time the baby come to associate the caregiver (initially a neutral stimulus) with milk, so the person becomes associated with that feeling of pleasure, this continuous association eventually leads to the formation of an attachment

Question 2

describe operant conditioning

Answer 2

• strengthens the attachment
• the baby is attached to the caregiver because she provides positive and negative reinforcement
  food is a primary reinforcer as it provides pleasure (pos reinforcement) and takes away hunger (neg reinforcement)
• because the caregiver provides food she is a secondary reinforcer
• therefore the baby becomes attached to the caregiver and learns to cry for her attention in order to receive the reward of milk/remove discomfort
• the reinforcement is two-way

Question 3

basic description of the learning theory

Answer 3

argues that infants learn to become attached to their caregiver, primarily because they provide food, through the processes of operant and classical conditioning

Question 4

explain one strength of the learning theory

Answer 4

1. • supported by controlled lab research
   • e.g. Pavlov found dogs would salivate when an assistant entered the room
     suggests they learnt to associate them with food
   • supports the view that associations can be made between people and food the provide through classical conditioning
   • therefore can say there is controlled lab research supporting classical conditioning

Question 5

explain two weaknesses of the learning theory

Answer 5

1. • contradicted by animal research
   • e.g. Harlow
   • learning theory would’ve predicted baby monkeys would attach to wire mother as she provides food
   • but they formed attachments based on contact comfort, clinging to the cloth mother when frightened
   • weakens learning theory because it suggests food isn’t the most important factor in forming an attachment (comfort and security is more important)
2. • contradicted by Schaffer and Emerson
     found sensitivity to needs is most important factor in forming an attachment
   • found that 40% of babies didn’t form primary attachment with the person who fed and changed them
   • formed primary attachment with the person who was most sensitive to their needs
   • contradicts learning theory as it suggests attachments are formed on sensitivity to needs and not food