Learning theory and Bowlby's monotropic theory Flashcards
(17 cards)
How does a child become attached to the food provider?
- The unconditioned stimulus is the food
- The neutral stimulus is the mother
- The unconditioned stimulus of food leads to the unconditioned response of pleasure
- The neutral stimulus of the mother with the unconditioned stimulus of food leads to the unconditioned response of pleasure
- The conditioned response of the mother leads to the conditioned response of pleasure
How is the attachment bond reinforced through positive and negative reinforcement?
-Infant learns that crying brings positive response from adults (positive reinforcement)
-Adult learns that responding to cries brings relief from noise (negative reinforcement)
-The reward is food and this is the main reinforcer
-Infant becomes attached to the person who supplies the food
-The mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment
What is meant by attachment as a secondary drive?
Primary drive is hunger- we are motivated to eat to reduce the hunger drive
Attachment is the secondary drive as it is learned through association with the satisfaction of the primary drive
How does Lorenz’s research challenge learning theory?
It shows geese imprint when they hatch, so it is innate. Learning theory suggests we learn it/pick it up
How does Harlow’s research challenge learning theory?
The monkeys prefer comfort rather than food, but learning theory suggests food is the main attachment factor
What does it mean to have an innate drive to attach?
We are biologically pre-programmed to attach at birth for survival
What are social releasers and how do they help children attach?
They stimulate caregiving from adults, for example looking cute, cooing, smiling and crying
What does Bowlby mean by monotropy?
Infants form a primary attachment to whomever responds best to their social releasers
What does it mean to have a secure base?
The primary attachment figure is used as a safe base for exploring the world
What is meant by the internal working model?
The primary attachment figure is the mental template for future social relationships
What does Bowlby mean by a critical period for forming attachments?
If a child doesn’t form an attachment by 2.5 years, it will struggle to form one at all. There will be negative consequences for a child’s development
How does Lorenz’s research on imprinting support Bowlby’s study?
It supports the fact that attachment is innate as the geese got attached to the first moving thing they saw
How does Harlow’s research on monkeys support Bowlby’s theory?
It supports secure base as when the monkeys felt endangered, they went to the cloth mother for security
How does Schaffer and Emerson’s research support Bowlby’s theory?
It supports monotropy as the babies they studied in their own homes typically attached to their mother only as 65% did
What evidence is there against the concept of monotropy?
Schaffer and Emerson found that 20% have multiple attachments, not just a primary attachment figure
How does Bailey’s research support Bowlby’s theory?
Assessed 99 mothers and quality of attachment to their babies (by observation and by interview). Association found between poor attachments as a child and poor attachments with their own children, supporting the internal working model
How does the concept of temperament challenge Bowlby’s theory?
Personality could be an underlying cause of attachment type and later relationships, challenging the concept of internal working model
