explanations of attachment: learning theory

Question 1

what did dollard and miller propose

Answer 1

learning theory of attachment

Question 2

classical conditioning in attachment

Answer 2

associates food with mother

Question 3

operant conditioning in attachmjent

Answer 3

• primary drive = hunger
• negative reinforcement used (hunger reduced
• primary reinforcer is food
• secondary reinforcer is caregiver - source of reward so positive reinforcer
• crying gets attention

Question 4

how is te caregiver conditioned

Answer 4

• feeding infant to stop crying - negative reinforcement

Question 5

attachment as a secondary drive

Answer 5

The secondary drive hypothesis explains how primary
drives essential for survival,
become associated with secondary drives

Question 6

ao3 for learning theory

Answer 6

• animal studies don’t support > lorenz - food wasnt involved in imprinting
• alternative explanations - bowlys monotropic theory
• human studies don’t support > schaffer and emedrson - primary caregiver was mother regardless of whether they were fed or not
• conditioning may play a role but not involving food