Evaluation of Learning Theory

Evaluation of Learning Theory

1. Strengths

   • It can provide a simple explanation to attachment

2. Limitations

   • Harlow
     • They did not cling to the wire mother offering food when frightened
     • Showed that feeding is not necessarily the most important factor to forming an attachment
       • Monkeys formed attachments with the wire mother who was covered in cloth
         • The one that offered comfort
   • Schaffer and Emerson
     • 60 babies, working-class, Glasgow
     • Infants were not most attached to the person who fed them
     • Most attached to the most-responsive person, interacted the most