Learning Theory Of Attachment Flashcards
Who proposed a learning theory?
Dollard and Miller (1950)
What did the learning theory state?
It was an approach to attachment which emphasises the importance of the caregiver as a food provider. Also known as ‘cupboard love’
What is classical conditioning?
Learning by association. Future as an unconditioned stimulus which leads to the unconditioned response of pleasure. The caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus but when they consistently provide food, they become associated with food and the caregiver becomes a conditioned stimulus. Once conditioning has taken place the caregiver produces a conditioned stimulus of pleasure.
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through reinforcement. Crying leads to comfort or feeding from the caregiver which positively reinforces the crying . The baby then repeats the crying towards a caregiver who responds with comforting behaviour (continuing to positively reinforce the crying). The caregiver is also negatively reinforced because the crying stops. This dual reinforcement strengthens an attachment.
Explain the process of negative reinforcement in the caregiver.
Baby crying as a punishment for the caregiver. To remove the punishment, the caregiver feeds/comfort the child to stop crying. This encourages the caregiver to give comfort to/feed the child in the future when the child cries.
Describe attachment as a secondary drive.
Hunger is a primary drive, which is an innate biological motivator to eat to avoid the hunger drive. Sears et al (1957) suggested that, as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to the caregiver. Therefore, attachment is a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary hunger drive. (Classical conditioning.)
Evaluation point one:
(+) Face validity.
The theory is set to have face validity, which means that it seems to make sense and we can generally agree with the principles of learning theory.
(-) however, this is not very strong as just because something makes sense, it does not mean it is correct/valid.
Evaluation point 2:
(+) Supporting evidence
The work of Pavlov and Skinner has provided substantial evidence for the principles of learning theory and their findings can be applied to attachment behaviour
(-) however this is not very strong as it only provides evidence for classical conditioning and operant conditioning in general and not for their involvement in attachment. We cannot be sure, based on this evidence, that learning theory can explain attachment.
Evaluation point 3:
(-) Counter evidence from animal research
A range of animal studies have shown that animals do not necessarily attached to (or imprint on) those who feed them. Although the monkeys received food from the wire mother they spent approximately one hour with the wire mother and 17 to 18 hours with the cloth mother. This suggests monkeys attached for comfort rather than food.
(-) however, we cannot be sure that attachment is the same in humans as monkeys so we cannot generalise the findings. This means it might not tell us anything about attachment in humans so we cannot be sure that humans do not attach for food.
Evaluation point 4:
(-) counter evidence from human research
Research with human influences also shows that feeding does not appear to be an important factor in humans. Schaffer and Emerson found that most of the infants formed in attachment to their mothers, despite the mothers not being the primary person that fed them. This suggests that we don’t form an attachment due to food.
Evaluation point 5:
(-) learning theory ignores other factors associated with forming attachment
Research into early infant-caregiver interaction suggest that the quality of attachment is associated with factors like developing reciprocity and good levels of interactional synchrony. In addition studies have shown that the best quality attachments are with sensitive carers that pick up infant signals and respond appropriately. This suggests that biological factors are also involved in the development of an attachment. This suggests that learning theory is an incomplete and over-simplistic explanation.
Evaluation point 6:
(+/-) a new learning theory explanation
Hay and Vespo (1988) proposal social learning theory explanation for infant-caregiver attachment. They suggested that parents model attachment behaviour such as hugging other family members and children are both vicariously reinforced and directly reinforced when they display attachment of their own.
An example of direct reinforcement is positive reinforcement e.g. children may demonstrate attachment behaviour (for example hugging a sibling ) parents and reward their children by praise/being hugged back. This should encourage them to demonstrate and repeat attachment behaviours in the future.
An example of vicarious reinforcement is if a child season of the family member who is a role model being rewarded (e.g. with praise or attention) for displaying attachment behaviour so imitates this behaviour.
