Learning theory

Learning theory

1. Classical conditioning

   • Food = Unconditioned stimulus
     • =
       • Happiness = unconditioned response
   • Mother = neutral stimulus
     • +
       • Food = unconditioned stimulus
         • =
           • Happiness = unconditioned response
   • Mother = conditioned stimulus
     • =
       • Happiness = conditioned response
   • The child associates the happiness from food with the mother which forms an attachment

2. Operant conditioning

   • Baby is sad because it's hungry
     • Baby cries
       • =
         • Mother feeds child
           • =
             • Child is happy
               • Drive reduction
       • Drive
   • Infant is rewarded by mother with food and then feels happy. This helps to form the attachment
     • Infant associates the primary reinforcement with the reward
   • Primary reinforcer - food
   • Secondary reinforcer - mother
     • Reward - happiness / attachment

3. Evaluation

   • Positive
     • Explanatory power
       • Infants do learn through association and reinforcement but food may not be the reinforcer
         • It may be attention and responsiveness
   • Negative
     • Contact comfort is more important than food
       • Strong evidence to show that feeding has nothing to do with attachment
         • Harlow (1959) Monkey experiment showed that the monkeys were most attached to the wire mother providing comfort rather than food.
           • Supported by Schaffer and Emerson
   • Based on animal research
     • Some behaviourists say that our behaviour patterns are very similar to animals and so the research can be generalised.
       • Non - behaviourists say that animals are too simplified and therefore not accurate representation of human behaviour

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