Explanations of attachment: learning theory Flashcards
Who came up with the learning theory of attachment?
Dollard and Miller
What is the basis of the learning theory of attachment?
places emphasis on the caregiver as the provider of food, and infant learns to love who feeds them
What is the approach also know as?
cupboard love approach
what is classical conditioning?
learning to associate two stimuli together so we begin to respond to one in the same way we already respond to the other
Explain classical conditioning of attachment
1) Food (UCS) produces pleasure (UCR)
2) Caregiver (NS) produces no response
3) Food (UCS) + Caregiver (NS) =pleasure (UCR)
4) Caregiver (CS) produces pleasure (CR)
what is operant conditioning?
Involves learning through consequences of behaviour
Explain positive reinforcement in attachment
baby is positively reinforced when they cry as mother feeds, so crying behaviour is repeated
How does a caregiver respond when crying is directed for comfort
comforting social suppressor behaviour
explain negative reinforcement in attachment
the caregiver is negatively reinforced because the crying stops, escaping from unpleasant behaviour is reinforced
what is the drive reduction theory?
The idea that all motivation comes from the result of biological needs
What is our primary drive?
Hunger
What did Sears say about caregivers and the primary drive?
As caregivers provide food the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them
What is the secondary drive?
Attachment
what counter evidence is there from animals studies?
Lorenz’s geese imprinted on the first moving object they saw regardless of whether object was associated with food
Harlows monkeys preferred contact comfort (cloth wired) in preference to a wire one which provided milk
What counter evidence is there from studies on humans?
Schaffer & Emerson found that babies tended to form their main attachment to mother regardless of feeding
