Learning Theory of Attachment Flashcards
(21 cards)
learning theory of attachment is also known as what?
cupboard of love theory
draw a classical conditioning graph using: food, happy baby,caregiver and ucs,ucr,ns,cs,cr
UCS UCR
food happy baby
NS + UCS = UCR
Caregiver food happy
baby
CS = CR
Caregiver Happy baby
who proposed attachment was due to drive reduction?
miller and dollard
dollard and miller suggest that: Hunger and …. have a strong motivating effect on the child, driving the child to satisfy its need by …. or seeking …… Obtaining food or warmth results in …… …… which in itself provides reward for the child.
COLD / EATING / WARMTH / DRIVE / REDUCTION
what are the two main primary drives?
hunger and cold
what are the two primary reinforces?
warmth and food
what is the secondary reinforces?
who ever provides the primary reinforces, usually the mother
how does this lead to attachment?
this is because the child is more likely to seek the person who is providing them food and warmth
what is the punishment for the mother?
the child crying
what does the mother do?
feed and cuddle the child
what is the negative reinforcement for the mother?
the child stops crying
the mother is negatively reinforced because the child stops crying, what does this lead to?
more feeding and cuddling to avoid unpleasant consequence of the child crying
why would dollar and millers theory suggest that fathers do not make the same attachments as the mother?
According to this fathers may not form an attachment as strong as mothers usually feed babies and the association has not been made between father and pleasure
name the 4 names of the researchers which researchers
schaffer and emerson,
bowlby, harlow, fox
evaluation: how does schaffer and emerson research not support the learning theory for attachment?
in 39% of cases mothers (main carer) were not the baby’s main attachment figure TST feeding is not the primary explanation of attachment.
evaluation: does fox research not support the learning theory for attachment?
Studied Israeli Kibbutz and mothers, babies, metapelets (specially trained full-time carers of newborns). Generally children were more attached to mothers than metaplets going against learning theory as metaplets did most of the feeding
evaluation: does harlow research not support the learning theory for attachment?
attachment is formed due to innate need for love/comfort not food
evaluation: does bowlby research not support the learning theory for attachment?
Babies need constant emotional security that is provided by an attachment figure and only need food occasionally. TST food is not the main reason for attachments
evaluation: miller and dollard research is consider reductionist, why?
does not consider cognitive processes or emotional nature of attachments. Simplifies complex behaviours, focus on stimulus response
Ignores infant caregiver interactions that are as important in attachment formation along with the idea of sensitiveness to the child’s needs.
evaluation: miller and dollard research is consider to be environmentally deterministic ?
Early learning determines later attachment behaviours
what is one strength of the learning theory of attachment?
Founded in established theory that is plausible and scientific
