The Learning Theory of Attachment

Question 1

What is learning theory?

Answer 1

Views children being born as blank slates. Everything we know is learned through experience, so baby has to form an attachment with the mother

Question 2

How does learning theory suggest that we learn?

Answer 2

Operant and Classical conditioning

Question 3

What does learning theory suggest attachment is a result of?

Answer 3

An association formed between the caregiver and satisfaction of primary drive reduction

Question 4

Who came up with classical conditioning and what was used?

Answer 4

Pavlo - Dog

Question 5

Explain classical conditioning

Answer 5

The baby forms an association between the. mother (Neutral stimulus) and the feeling of pleasure after being fed (Unconditioned response).At. first the baby Is comforted by the food. However, every time its fed the mothers present, the baby associates the mother with the feeling of pleasure. The mother becomes the conditioned stimulus - This is the beginning of an attachment.

Question 6

Who came up with operant conditioning and what was used?

Answer 6

Skinner - Rats

Question 7

Explain Operant conditioning

Answer 7

Learning through positive and negative reinforcement. The child carries out an action like crying triggering a response like the mother comforting and feeding the baby. The more this happens the more the action is reinforced as the child associates the mother with those rewards

Question 8

What is stimulus?

Answer 8

Event causes a response

Question 9

What is a response?

Answer 9

The action that happens as a result of the stimulus

Question 10

What is innate?

Answer 10

Natural from birth

Question 11

Give a - (CEFAS)

Answer 11

Contradictory evidence from animal studies, Harlow said contact comfort. was more important than food.This suggests that there’s no unconditioned stimulus and even if there’s little or no influence on forming attachments

Question 12

Give a - (CEFHS)

Answer 12

Contradictory evidence from human studies, Bazelton emphasised importance of synchrony - these are universal features of attachment. Attachments form not to the person who spends the most time with the infant, but. the person who is most attentive to their signals. Meaning the unconditioned stimulus is irrelevant in most cases

Question 13

Give a - (UCSLF)

Answer 13

The focus of unconditioned and conditioned stimuli means there’s a loss of focus. Interactional synchrony and reciprocity are universal features of attachment and should be treated. Learning theory doesn’t account for these aspects and is limited explanation for only some types of attachment