explanations: learning theory Flashcards
Who proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory?”
John Dollard and Neal Miller (1950).
What is the ‘cupboard love’ approach in attachment theory?
It emphasizes the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food.
What is the attachment figure?
The person who provides food and care, leading to attachment.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we respond to one as we already respond to the other.
In attachment, what is the unconditioned stimulus?
Food.
What is the unconditioned response to food?
Pleasure.
In classical conditioning, what is a neutral stimulus?
A caregiver before being associated with food.
When does a neutral stimulus become a conditioned stimulus?
When the caregiver provides food over time and becomes associated with food.
What is the conditioned response in attachment?
Love or attachment to the caregiver.
What is operant conditioning?
Learning from the consequences of behavior.
What happens if a behavior produces a pleasant consequence?
The behavior is likely to be repeated (reinforcement).
What is punishment in operant conditioning?
An unpleasant consequence, making behavior less likely to be repeated.
How can operant conditioning explain attachment?
Crying leads to a response from the caregiver, such as feeding or comfort, reinforcing the behavior.
What is negative reinforcement in attachment?
The caregiver’s response to crying stops the baby’s discomfort, reinforcing the caregiver’s behavior.
What is drive reduction in attachment theory?
The idea that babies are motivated to reduce hunger, and attachment is learned when the caregiver provides food.
What is a secondary drive in attachment?
Attachment becomes a secondary drive associated with the satisfaction of a primary drive (hunger).
What is one limitation of learning theory from animal studies?
Lack of support; animals like Lorenz’s geese and Harlow’s monkeys formed attachments not based on food.
What did Schaffer and Emerson (1964) find about human attachment?
Babies formed main attachments to those who responded to them, not just those who fed them.
What did Russell Isabella et al. (1989) find about attachment quality?
Quality of attachment was related to interaction, not feeding.
Can conditioning explain all aspects of attachment?
No, conditioning may play a role but is not the main factor.
What is a counterpoint to classical and operant conditioning explanations?
They see the baby as passive, but research shows babies are active and interactions are important.
What is social learning theory in attachment?
Children learn to love by observing and imitating parents’ affectionate behavior.
How do parents reinforce loving behavior according to social learning theory?
By showing approval when babies display attachment behaviors.
What is the advantage of social learning theory?
It fits better with the two-way interaction between baby and adult.
