learning theory explanations of attachment Flashcards
what do Dollard and Miller suggest?
they proposed that caregiver infant attachments can be explained by the learning theory
classical conditioning
food (US) = pleasure (UR)
US + mother (NS) = UR
mother (CS) = pleasure (CR)
research into classical conditioning
Pavlov
Little albert
operant conditioning
learning through reinforcement
positive reinforcement
complete behaviour to get a reward
negative reinforcement
completing behaviour to avoid a punishment
punishment
consequence that makes a behaviour less likely to occur
operant conditioning relating to attachment
it explains why babies cry for comfort
crying leads to a response from the caregiver like feeding
as long as the caregiver provides the correct response, the crying is reinforced
the two way process
the baby is reinforced for crying, the caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops
the mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment
what did Sears et al suggest about the drive of reduction
suggest that as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them so attachment is a secondary drive learned by association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive
AO3
+P: elements of conditioning may be included in some aspects of attachment
suggesting that conditioning does take a role
the mother often feeds the children which makes sense why she is often the primary caregiver
-P: contradictory evidence from studies of human babies
Shaffer and Emerson found babies still formed attachment to mother regardless who fed them
Isabella suggested that factors do not have to be related to feeding
-P: contradictory evidence from animal studies
Lorenz’s goslings imprinted on the first moving object, no association with food
(D- cannot extrapolate)
