learning theory

Question 1

classical conditioning

Answer 1

food (UCS) -> pleasure (UR)
caregiver (NS) -> no response
UCS + NS -> UCR
caregiver (CS) -> pleasure (CR)

Question 2

operant conditioning

Answer 2

babies cry for import

crying - reinforced if caregiver provides correct response

two-way process

same time baby is reinforced - caregiver receives negative reinforcement

Question 3

who proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory

Answer 3

Dollard and Miller

cupboard love - emphasises the importance of attachment figure as provider of food

Question 4

attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 4

concept of drive reduction

hunger - primary drive - innate, biological motivator

Sears et al - caregiver provides food, primary drive becomes generalised to them

attachment is secondary drive learned by association between caregiver and satisfaction of primary drive

Question 5

counter-evidence from animal studies

Answer 5

P - limitation as lack of support from studies conducted on animals
E - Lorenz - imprinted on first object
E - Harlow - no support as attachment towards soft mother for comfort even when no food
L - shows that factors other than association with food are important in the formation of attachments

Question 6

counter-evidence from studies on humans

Answer 6

P - limited as lack of support from studies on human babeis
E - Schaffer and Emerson - babies form attachment to mother regardless of who feeds
E - Isabella et al - high levels of interactional synchrony predicted attachment no relation to feeding
L - food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments

Question 7

conditioning may be involved

Answer 7

P - strength is elements of conditioning involved
E - unlikely food is central role but conditioning
E - eg baby associate comfort with adult, influence choice of main attachment figure
L - learning theory may still be useful in understanding the development of attachments

P - both classical and operant conditioning show baby in passive role
E - due to simply responding to associations
E - research shows baby takes active role in interactions that produce attachment
L - conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment