Explanations of attachment: learning theory

Created by: Gottowork
Created on: 14-05-16 16:46

Who are the learning theorists and what do they propose?

Dollard and Miller - children learned to love whoever feeds them ('cupboard love' approach)

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What is classical conditioning and how does it explain the learning theory?

Learning to associate two stimuli together - begin to respond in same way as other. Food + mother -> pleasure, mother -> pleasure

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What is operant conditioning?

Learning to repeat behaviour, or not, depending on its consequences

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How is operant conditioning used to explain the learning theory?

If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, it has been reinforced. E.g. crying leads to comforting response so is reinforced, negative reinforcement as crying stops. Mutual reinforcement

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Why is attachment known as a secondary drive?

Hunger is the primary drive - motivated to eat for drive reduction, as caregiver provides food hunger is generalised to them too

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Why is there counter-evidence for the learning theory from animal research?

Young animals don't attach to those who feed them - attachment doesn't develop as a result of feeding, non-human animals and humans were equivalent

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Why is there counter-evidence for the learning theory from human research?

Feeding isn't important factor, e.g. Schaffer and Emerson's - primary attachment to biological mother despite not doing a lot of the feeding

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How does the learning theory ignore other factors associated with forming attachments?

Quality of attachment also associated with reciprocity and interactional synchrony, sensitive carers. If just feeding, there would be no purpose for these, wouldn't be relationships

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Card 2

Front

What is classical conditioning and how does it explain the learning theory?

Back

Learning to associate two stimuli together - begin to respond in same way as other. Food + mother -> pleasure, mother -> pleasure

Card 3

Front

What is operant conditioning?

Back

Card 4

Front

How is operant conditioning used to explain the learning theory?

Back

Card 5

Front

Why is attachment known as a secondary drive?

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Explanations of attachment: learning theory