Attachment - LT3: Learning Theory

Attachment - LT3: Learning Theory

1. AO1

   • Classical Conditioning - Association
     • NS = Mother
       • UCS = Food
         • UCS + NS = Food + Mother
           • CS = Mother
             • CR = Pleasure
           • UCR = Pleasure
         • UCR = Pleasure
       • No response
   • Operant Conditioning - Consequences
     • Feeding = Positive Reinforcement
       • Baby +ve reinforced by pleasure ellicited by food
       • Close to infant = Positive Reinforcment
     • Crying stops = Negative reinforcement
       • Hunger removal = Negative reinforcement
   • Attachment as Secondary Drive
     • Secondary Drive Hypothesis
       • Drive Reduction
         • Primary Drives (E.G. Innate biological motivators E.G. Hunger)
           • Sears et al
             • As primary drivers are met by mother, she becomes assoicated with the satisfaction of the need
               • Primary drive generalises to her
                 • Secondary learned drive = mother

2. AO3

   • Strengths
     • P: Supporting evidence (For Newer LT)
       • E1: Hay and Vespo - Explained Attachment via SLT - Parents teach infants to attach via modelling typical attachment behaviours
         • E2: Parents provide enthusiastic social rewards when they imitate the behaviours themselves
           • L: Suggests that by observation and imitation of these attachment behaviours, infants become more attached to their parents, supporting learning theory
   • Weaknesses
     • P: Opposing evidence
       • E1: Harlow - Rhesus monke showed they spent more time with cloth mother than wire mother, even though wire mother was dispensing food
         • E2: Comfort care > Food
           • L: Opposes and therefore lowers the significance of the secondary drvie hypothesis proposed by Sears et al