Learning theory

Learning theory

1. Food is unconditioned stimulus and this gives baby pleasure- unconditioned response. The mother is the neutral stimulus, but when the mother gives the food frequently the baby associates the food with the mother. When baby sees this person there's an expectation for food. The neutral stimulus has become the conditioned stimulus and baby gives conditioned response of pleasure, e.g, love, an attachment is formed.

2. operant conditioning: learning from consequences of behaviour. Baby crying leads to a response from CG, e.g, feeding. As long as CG gives correct response crying is reinforced. The baby directs comfort toward CG and CG responds with social-suppressor behaviour. At same time as baby is reinforced for crying, the CG receives negative reinforcement because crying stops.

3. lack of support conducted from animal studies. Lorenz's geese imprinted on the first moving object they saw even if it wasn't connected with food. Harlow's study there's no support for importance of food. e.g. the Rhesus monkeys sought comfort from cloth-covered monkey in preference to wire one which dispensed milk. This shows that factors other than food are important in the formation of attachment.