Attachment: Explanations of attachment (Learning Theory) Flashcards
Who came up with The Learning Theory and when??
Dollard & Miller (1950)
What is The Learning Theory??
Attachment is a learnt behaviour, we learn to love whoever feeds us
What are the 2 types of conditioning in The Learning Theory??
Classical & Operant
What is classical conditioning??
Learning through association
What are the 3 stages of a baby forming an association between it’s mother and pleasure??
- Food (UCS) = Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
- Mother (NS) + Food (UCS) = Baby feels pleasure (UCR)
- Mother (CS) = Baby feels pleasure (CR)
Baby feels happier when mother is near which is the beginning of forming an attachment
What’s operant conditioning??
Learning through consequences
What are the stages of positive reinforcement for the baby??
- Baby cries
- Baby receives reward (food relieves hunger)
- Reward reinforces action so baby repeats
What are the stages of negative reinforcement for the caregiver??
- Baby cries
- Caregiver feels uncomfortable
- Console child by feeding it
- Behaviours are rewarding for child so infant stops crying
What are positive and negative reinforcement??
Positive = Reward which makes a good situation even better
Negative = Reward which takes away an unpleasant situation
What are 2 counterpoints of The Learning Theory?? (AO3)
- Harlow’s monkeys (Learning theory states attachment is formed with person who provides food, but the monkey sought comfort from cloth mother even though plain wire mother dispensed milk)
- Interaction Synchrony and Reciprocity are said to be the 2 most important aspects of forming attachments and neither of these include feeding.
What’s a study that supports The Learning Theory??
Sears et al (1957):
The primary drive of hunger is innate. When caregivers provide for this primary drive through feeding, an attachment is formed as a secondary drive learnt through association.
