theories of attachment

Question 1

learning theory of attachment

Answer 1

classical conditioning
operant conditioning
secondary drive

Question 2

classical conditioning

Answer 2

• the baby forms an association between the mother (NEUTRAL STIMULUS)
• the feeling of pleasure that comes from being fed (UNCONDITIONED RESPONSE) as they are paired together
• the mother becomes a CONDITIONED STIMULUS as she elicits a feeling of pleasure of her own

Question 3

operant conditioning

Answer 3

• crying causes the caregiver to feed/comfort the baby, the crying behaviour is reinforced
• the caregiver is negitavely reinforced as the baby stops crying when food/comfort is given

Question 4

secondary drive

Answer 4

• hunger is a primary drive as it is innate
• the primary drive is generated to the mother as she provides food
• attachment is the secondary drive

Question 5

evaluation of learning theory

Answer 5

animal research
evolutionary theory
Schaffer and Emerson

Question 6

animal research : EVALUATION OF LEARNING THEORY

Answer 6

• both Harlow and Lorenz suggest food is not the most important factor in forming attachment

Question 7

evolutionary theory : EVALUATION OF LEARNING THEORY

Answer 7

• Bowlby stated that we have an innate drive to attach
• occurs regardless of food

Question 8

Schaffer and Emerson : EVALUATION OF LEARNING THEORY

Answer 8

• 39% of babies attached to the person who did not feed them but who INTERACTED with them

Question 9

Bowlby’s evolutionary theory

Answer 9

• attachment is an innate mechanism that increases the chances of survival for the baby
• babies use social releasers (crying, smiling) to initiate interaction between it and the mother
• the baby has neotenic features that encourages the mother to care for the baby
• the baby attaches to one primary caregiver (monotrophy)
• creates an internal working model, which it uses as a template for future relationships
• should happen during the critical period of around 2.5 years and has to happen during the sensitive period of 5 years

Question 10

evaluation of learning theory

Answer 10

love quiz
temperament hypothesis
Hodges and Tizard

Question 11

love quiz : EVALUATION OF BOWLBY’S EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

Answer 11

Hazan and Shaver
- found love experience and attitudes towards love (internal working model) were related to attachment type

Question 12

temperament hypothesis : EVALUATION OF BOWLBY’S EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

Answer 12

Kagan
- proposed that some children are innately more likely to seek attachments and form close relationships
- Bowlby did not take these differences into account

Question 13

Hodges and Tizard : EVALUATION OF BOWLBY’S EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

Answer 13

• found that close relationships and attachments could be formed later in life
• found early deprivation could be reversed