Explanations of Attachment

Explanations of Attachment

1. Learning Theory

   • Operant Conditioning
     • learning through consequences
     • when infant is fed, they feel satisfied, pleasant consequence = positive reinforcer
       • person who supplies the food becomes secondary reinforcer
   • Classical Conditioning
     • learning through associations
     • Milk is UCS providing UR - pleasure
       • baby associates mother who is feeding them milk with pleasure - mother becomes CR
   • Evaluation
     • - reductionist, oversimplifies complex human behaviours
     • research largely based off animals - cannot be generalised to humans
   • Schaffer & Emerson
     • found that less than 1/2 of infants had primary attachment to feeder
       • contradicts learning theory

2. Bowlby's Theory

   • innate (genetically programmed)
   • child programmed to elicit care through social releasers
   • Early attachment is monotropic
   • attachment provides child with template for future relationships (internal working model)
   • critical period (first few years)
   • Harlow
     • tested infant monkeys, two conditions: 'cloth mother' without food, 'wire mother' with food
     • found monkeys spent more time with 'cloth mother', suggesting attachment isn't based off feeding, more innate
   • Hazan & Shaver
     • found a strong relationship between childhood relationships & adult relationships
     • carried out a questionnaire
       • - self-selecting sample
     • supports Bowlby's theory (internal working model)
   • Schaffer & Emerson
     • longitudinal study
     • found that children are capable of developing multiple strong attachments
     • contradicts Bowlby's theory
   • Bowlby's theory can be criticized on it's view of the father, the father can also serve as a primary attachment