Learning theory
- Created by: z_mills1
- Created on: 08-05-14 15:51
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- Learning theory
- Operant conditioning
- learning through reinforcement
- Dollard + Miller suggested that a human infant feels uncomfortable when hungry
- being fed satisfies the infant's hunger and makes them feel comfortable again
- Dollard + Miller suggested that a human infant feels uncomfortable when hungry
- child learns that food is a reward - person who supplies food is secondary reinforcer
- being fed satisfies the infant's hunger and makes them feel comfortable again
- being fed satisfies the infant's hunger and makes them feel comfortable again
- Classical conditioning
- learning through association
- stimulus of food produces response of pleasure to an infant
- person providing this food (PCG) becomes associated with this pleasure - becomes a conditioned stimulus
- person providing this food (PCG) becomes associated with this pleasure - becomes a conditioned stimulus
- Evaluation
- Strength
- learning theory can explain attachment
- infants do acquire attachment through association and reinforcement but the reinforcer is not food
- learning theory can explain attachment
- Weaknesses
- contact comfort is more important (Harlow's study of rhesus monkeys)
- Harlow created two artifical wire mothers, one had a feeding bottle attached and the other was wrapped in soft cloth
- monkeys spent much of their time clinging to the cloth mother - especially in times of distress
- Harlow created two artifical wire mothers, one had a feeding bottle attached and the other was wrapped in soft cloth
- Schaffer and Emerson
- conducted a controlled observation of 60 babies in their own homes for a period of about a year
- found that infants were not most attached to the person who fed them, strongest attachments were to the person who was most responsive and who interacted with them the most
- conducted a controlled observation of 60 babies in their own homes for a period of about a year
- contact comfort is more important (Harlow's study of rhesus monkeys)
- Strength
- Operant conditioning
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