Theories And Research Into Attachment - Learning Theory

Question 1

What do learning theories state?

Answer 1

• The child will form attachments on the basis of feeding
• Attachment behaviour should steadily increase from birth
• The strongest attachment will be with the one who feeds the infant the most
• They are an alternative to evolutionary attachment

Question 2

What are the two types of learning?

Answer 2

• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning by association

Question 4

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 4

Learning as a result of the consequences to your actions

Question 5

What happened in the little Albert experiment?

Answer 5

• At first he had no fear to the white rat (first time seeing it)
• The experimenters made a loud noise whenever the rat appeared
• Little Albert was scared of the loud noise but then associated it with any furry thing
• Fear came from the noise but because it was always with a furry rodent he was now scared of any furry thing

Question 6

What did Dollard and Miller say about attachment?

Answer 6

• Baby gains pleasure from feeding and learns to associate caregiver with the pleasure gained from feeding and therefore becomes attachment
• Needs to be repeated numerous times for this to occur

Question 7

What happens before classical conditioning?

Answer 7

• Food (UCS) ————> Baby feels pleasure (UCR)

Whereas

• Mother (NS) ————> Baby does not respond (NR)

This shows the baby is not born with an attachment to its mother

Question 8

What happens through the process of classical conditioning?

Answer 8

Step 1= Food (UCS) —————> Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
Step 2 = Mother (NS) + Food (UCS) = Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
Step 3 = Mother (CS) = ————> Baby feels pleasure (CR)

Attachment then forms

Question 9

What was Pavlovs procedure (1927)?

Answer 9

• Looked at dogs ———> investigated their classical conditioning
• Salivation reflex = each time they were fed
• Noticed the dogs salivated before they were fed when they heard the door open (the dogs associated the door opening with food)

Question 10

What happened before conditioning with Pavlov?

Answer 10

Food (UCS) ————> Dog drools (UCR)
Bell (NS) ————> Dog does not respond

Question 11

What happened during conditioning with Pavlov?

Answer 11

Step 1= Food (UCS) ————> Dog drools (UCR)
Step 2= Bell (NS) + Food (UCS) = ————> Dog drools (UCR)
Step 3= Bell (CS) ————> Dog drools (CR)

Question 12

What do evolutionary theories say?

Answer 12

We are innately programmed to form attachment

Question 13

What happened with Skinners Rats (operant conditioning)?

Answer 13

• Rats would move around a cage
• When it accidentally pressed a lever food is given/dropped for it
  (The rats repeat it)
• Then the rats learn to press the lever to get food

Question 14

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 14

• When a behaviour receives something pleasant
• e.g. baby’s cry for food and then receive it (crying behaviour is useful as it reduces hunger)

Question 15

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 15

• When a response switches off something unpleasant
• e.g. sound of baby crying is unpleasant to mum, and then mother learns to cuddle and hug the baby to stop it crying

Question 16

What happens when someone is rewarded for something during conditioning?

Answer 16

• After repetition the person or animal learns and knows consciously that if they do the specified action it will result in a favourable reward