Learning theory
- Created by: CharlotteR
- Created on: 25-04-14 14:52
View mindmap
- Learning Theory
- Much of our behaviour is the result of learning through interactions and experiences with our environment
- Attachment is not innate but rather a behaviour that is learned through the process of classical and operant conditioning
- classical conditioning of an attachment occurs when an association forms between the pleasure and the comfort an infant gets when feeding and the caregiver who is feeding them
- Operant conditioning is the learning process responsible for maintaining and strengthing the attachment
- The infant's attachment behaviour are positively reinforced by the response of their caregiver because its rewarding
- The caregiver's response is negatively reinforced by the removal of the unpleasant noise because this is also rewarding
- if behaviours are reinforced this way they are likely to be repeated and so the attachment is maintained
- The caregiver's response is negatively reinforced by the removal of the unpleasant noise because this is also rewarding
- The infant's attachment behaviour are positively reinforced by the response of their caregiver because its rewarding
- Evidence
- Baby becomes attached to the person who feeds it
- Rhesus monkeys study found that baby monkeys who were raised with fake wire 'mothers'
- did not spend time clinging to the wire mothers that dispenses milk and did not run to it when frightened
- they preferred the wire mother that did not dispense food but was covered in a soft towel
- did not spend time clinging to the wire mothers that dispenses milk and did not run to it when frightened
- This study shows that food isn't the main factor in forming a relationship so challenges learning theory
- Used monkeys (unethical on babies) we cannot generalise the results completely to humans.
- Doesn't offer such a strong challenge to learning theory
- Rhesus monkeys study found that baby monkeys who were raised with fake wire 'mothers'
- Attachment will develop over time as the baby learns to be attached through classical conditioning
- Babies are happy to be looked after anyone and do not have a preference for an individual carer until they get to about 7 months old
- they suddenly show that they want to be with their main carer and want to stay close to them
- this evidence challenges learning theory as it proposes that the attachment would gradually increase in strength
- they suddenly show that they want to be with their main carer and want to stay close to them
- whereas it appears suddenly at the same age in all infants (crawling age)
- this attachment means babies don't move too far from carer which prevents them from crawling to danger and keeps them safe
- supportive with Bowlby's theory that an attachment forms because it increases changes of survival
- Babies are happy to be looked after anyone and do not have a preference for an individual carer until they get to about 7 months old
- Baby becomes attached to the person who feeds it
- this association is so strong that the infant feels comforted by the caregiver alone, even without food.
- classical conditioning of an attachment occurs when an association forms between the pleasure and the comfort an infant gets when feeding and the caregiver who is feeding them
- this is the attachment
Comments
No comments have yet been made