explanations of attachment Flashcards
(25 cards)
what are the two explanations?
1) learning theory - behaviourist
2) Bowlby - evolutionary
what is classical conditioning?
- learning by association
- associate a response with a stimulus
what is operant conditioning?
- behaviour is determined by consequences
- reinforcing or decreasing behaviour
- using punishment and reward
describe classical conditioning
- unconditioned stimulus (UCS) causes unconditioned response (UCR)
- neutral stimulus (NS) is paired with the UCS
- after multiple pairings the NS and the UCS become associated
- eventually NS becomes the conditioned stimulus (CS) that causes the original response which is now the conditioned response (CR)
how does classical conditioning explain attachment?
- the UCS is the food (milk)
- UCR satisfaction
- the NS is the mother
- mother feeds baby, mother becomes associated with food and therefore satisfaction
- mother becomes CS and satisfaction the CR
- baby now attached as mother is a source of relief from hunger
what is reinforcement?
something in the environment that strengthens a particular behaviour, so it’s more likely to occur
what is positive reinforcement?
something good is added e.g. food
what is negative reinforcement?
something unpleasant is removed e.g. hunger
what is punishment?
a negative consequence to behaviour, making it less likely to occur
what is negative punishment?
something good is removed e.g. food taken away
what is positive punishment?
something unpleasant is added e.g. a shock
describe drive reduction theory
- hunger is an uncomfortable drive, we’re motivated to remove it
- when baby is fed, hunger is taken away
- this is negative reinforcement
- food is primary reinforcer, person supplying food is secondary reinforcer
- person becomes a source of pleasure and attachment
what is learning theory based on?
food is the basis of attachment
evaluation of learning theory
evidence to challenge it
1)Harlow’s monkeys
- found that monkeys attached to the contact comfort mother, not the mother with a feeding bottle
- food can’t be the basis of attachment
2)Schaffer and Emerson
- found that primary attachment figure wasn’t always the one who fed the infant the most
evaluation of learning theory
non-human research
- not all human be behaviours are explained by conditioning
- especially things as complex as attachment
- non-behaviourists believe it’s an innate predisposition
- using animals to generalise is not accurate as human minds are different
evaluation of learning theory
operant conditioning issue
- drive reduction theory can only explain a limited number of behaviours
- people don’t always do things to reduce discomfort
- operant conditioning cannot be the reason for attachment
- doesn’t explain secondary reinforcers e.g. money
- secondary reinforcers don’t take away discomfort (immediately) yet it still reinforces and encourages behaviour
what kind of approach is Bowlby’s explanation of attachment?
- evolutionary
- suggests attachment is innate
- adaptive behaviour that promotes survival
what is Bowlby’s theory called?
monotropic theory / theory of monotropy
key features of the monotropy theory?
- born with a predisposition to attachment
- social releases e.g. crying, smiling
- one significant attachment (primary attachment)
- critical period is 3-6 months
- internal working model
- continuity hypothesis
what is the critical period?
- 3-6 months from birth
- infants and caters are most sensitive to attachment
- sensitivity of carer is essential to the attachment process (influenced by Ainsworths “caregiver sensitivity hypothesis”)
what are social releasers?
- behaviours to ensure proximity
- smiling, crying
- draw attention from the caregiver
- innate mechanism
- attention and interaction lead to attachment
what is monotropy?
- one most significant attachment figure
- primary attachment relationship
- more important that subsequent attachments
- important for emotional security
- from this relationship the internal working model is developed of how a relationship should be
consequences of the internal working model?
- child learns about their caregivers behaviour in the relationship
- later on the IWM acts as a template for future relationships
- child develops expectations based on this primary attachment experience
what is the continuity hypothesis?
- securely attached infants would continue into socially and emotionally competent children and adults
- infants who are insecurely attached face the opposite, more likely to experience emotional difficulties in relationships
