ATTACHMENT 2: Explanations for attachment

Question 1

▲ How does Schaffer and Emerson’s study contradict learning theory?

Answer 1

Infants attached to responsive caregiver, not feeder

Question 2

● What is positive reinforcement for an infant?

Answer 2

Being fed when hungry

Question 3

▲ What behaviour supports Bowlby’s adaptive theory?

Answer 3

Staying close to caregiver for safety

Question 4

● What is the conditioned response in attachment?

Answer 4

Pleasure

Question 5

▲ What is the role of the internal working model?

Answer 5

Shapes expectations for future relationships

Question 6

✪ How does Lorenz’s research support Bowlby’s critical period?

Answer 6

Imprinting only occurred within 12–17 hours, showing a time-sensitive bond formation

Question 7

● What is Bowlby’s sensitive period?

Answer 7

First 2.5 years

Question 8

▲ What does the law of accumulated separation suggest?

Answer 8

Too much time apart risks poor attachment

Question 9

▲ How do social releasers affect caregiver behaviour?

Answer 9

Trigger responses and interaction

Question 10

✪ Why is Bowlby’s theory more comprehensive than the learning theory?

Answer 10

It includes biological programming, critical period, and internal working model

Question 11

● Who found attachment was not based on feeding?

Answer 11

Schaffer and Emerson

Question 12

✪ What criticism of learning theory is suggested by research from collectivist cultures?

Answer 12

Infants form multiple attachments, not just with feeders

Question 13

● What is mutual reinforcement?

Answer 13

Strengthens attachment

Question 14

▲ How can early attachment affect adult relationships?

Answer 14

Through internal working model templates

Question 15

✪ How does Harlow’s comfort finding undermine the learning theory?

Answer 15

It shows food is not the main basis of attachment, reducing the theory’s validity

Question 16

✪ Why is Schaffer and Emerson’s research a problem for the learning theory?

Answer 16

They found infants formed attachments with responsive caregivers, not those who fed them

Question 17

✪ How does Hazan and Shaver’s Love Quiz support Bowlby’s theory?

Answer 17

Secure children had happier adult relationships, supporting the internal working model

Question 18

✪ Why might Bowlby’s theory still hold despite evidence of multiple attachments?

Answer 18

Children usually form a specific attachment before others

Question 19

● What is the feeder before conditioning?

Answer 19

Neutral stimulus

Question 20

● What is monotropy?

Answer 20

A special attachment to one caregiver

Question 21

▲ How is the caregiver negatively reinforced?

Answer 21

Crying stops after feeding

Question 22

✪ Why is the learning theory considered environmentally reductionist?

Answer 22

It reduces complex behaviour to stimulus-response associations and ignores social context

Question 23

● What is the ‘cupboard love’ theory?

Answer 23

Attachment is based on feeding

Question 24

▲ How does crying act as positive reinforcement?

Answer 24

Leads to feeding

Question 25

✪ What does Bowlby’s idea of the internal working model imply about early experiences?

Answer 25

They shape future relationships, supporting a long-term influence of attachment

Question 26

● What is negative reinforcement for the caregiver?

Answer 26

Crying stops

Question 27

● What are social releasers?

Answer 27

Behaviours like crying or smiling to trigger caregiving

Question 28

● What does the learning theory suggest about attachment?

Answer 28

Infants attach to whoever feeds them

Question 29

✪ What limitation does animal research present for the learning theory’s criticism?

Answer 29

Findings may not apply to humans due to emotional differences

Question 30

▲ Why is early interaction important according to Bowlby?

Answer 30

Builds the internal working model

Question 31

✪ Why does Bowlby’s theory lack full validity according to learning theory?

Answer 31

Learning theory gives an alternative explanation based on association and reinforcement

Question 32

✪ How does Field’s research reduce the validity of the cupboard love theory?

Answer 32

Attachment depends on sensitivity and responsiveness, not feeding

Question 33

▲ How does Harlow’s study challenge the cupboard love theory?

Answer 33

Monkeys preferred comfort over food

Question 34

● What does Bowlby say about attachment?

Answer 34

It is innate

Question 35

● Who contradicted learning theory with comfort over food findings?

Answer 35

Harlow

Question 36

✪ How do multiple attachments challenge the concept of monotropy?

Answer 36

Children can form several important attachments early on

Question 37

✪ Why might Hazan and Shaver’s findings lack internal validity?

Answer 37

They relied on self-report which may include dishonest answers

Question 38

● What type of conditioning explains crying for comfort?

Answer 38

Operant conditioning

Question 39

▲ Why might Bowlby's theory explain intergenerational attachment?

Answer 39

Internal working models are passed down

Question 40

● What is environmental reductionism?

Answer 40

Reduces behaviour to stimulus-response associations

Question 41

▲ What kind of learning is involved in attachment according to operant conditioning?

Answer 41

Learning through consequences

Question 42

● What response does milk produce in classical conditioning?

Answer 42

Pleasure

Question 43

● What does the internal working model act as?

Answer 43

Template for future relationships

Question 44

● What kind of caregiver leads to the best quality attachment?

Answer 44

Responsive

Question 45

▲ What does Bowlby mean by adaptive behaviour?

Answer 45

Attachment helps survival

Question 46

▲ What does monotropy say about early attachment?

Answer 46

The most important bond forms with one caregiver

Question 47

● What is the law of continuity?

Answer 47

Consistent care leads to better attachment

Question 48

● What does the feeder become after conditioning?

Answer 48

Conditioned stimulus

Question 49

▲ Why does a feeder become a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 49

Repeated association with milk and pleasure