lesson 03 - theories of attachment

define learning theory

a set of theories from the behaviourist approach to psychology, that emphasises the role of of learning in the development of behaviour. explanations for learning behaviour include classical and operant conditioning

classical conditioning of infants

food (UCS) produces pleasure (UCR) primary caregiver (NS) is associated with food, becoming a conditioned stimulus (CS) producing pleasure (CR)

operant conditioning of infants

crying is positively reinforced be attention

operant conditioning of caregivers

attention is negatively reinforced by cessation of crying

describe bowlby’s monotropic theory

an evolutionary explanation that suggests that attachment is an innate system that provides a survival advantage. it is a mechanism that evolved