Learning theory as an explanation of attachment

What is the learning theory of attachment also referred to as?

cupboard love

What is the learning theory of attachment?

infants learn and maintain attachments in their environment

What do behaviourists suggest that behaviour is learned through?

classical or operant conditioning

What types of learning is classical conditioning?

learning by association.

What types of learning is operant conditioning?

learning by consequences

What is the explanation of learning by classical conditioning in words?

• the child learns to associate the carer with food (unconditional stimulus) which is associated with pleasure

• at the start the carer is a neutral stimulus (a stimulus that produces no response)

• over time, when the carer regularly feeds the child, they become associated with food and become a conditioned stimulus which evokes pleasure

What is the explanation of learning by operant conditioning in words?

• if a behaviour results in agreeable consequences it is likely to be repeated and if it results in disagreeable consequences it is likely to decline

• if crying results in feeding, then the consequences are pleasant and crying is reinforces

• escaping from an unpleasant stimulus is also agreeable so it is a reinforcer

• most carers dislike hearing a baby cry so the cessation of crying is a negative reinforcer encouraging the carer to behave in such a way that the child stops crying

• smiling by the child is very rewarding and is therefore a positive reinforcer so the carer behaves in a way to evoke the smiling

Evaluation of learning theory:offers valuable insights into the nature of attachment by emphasising the role of association and reinforcement in attachment formation.

E – Evidence:
According to learning theory, attachment develops because caregivers provide food and comfort, and through consistent responsiveness and sensitivity to an infant’s needs, they become associated with pleasure and reward.

E – Explain:
As a result, the infant learns acceptable behaviours by replicating the caregiver’s responsive and sensitive actions, suggesting attachment is learned through experience. However, this also implies an interaction between learned behaviours and innate tendencies, as infants are biologically predisposed to seek closeness while learning how to behave within relationships.

L – Link:
Therefore, learning theory helps explain how attachment forms through reinforcement and imitation, showing that attachment is not purely innate but shaped by early experiences with caregivers.

Evaluation of learning theory: counter evidence from animal studies

Harlow’s monkeys showed attachment behaviours towards the soft surrogate mother in preference to the wire mother with food.

This shows that other factors other then association with food are important in the formation of attachment.

This reduces the validity of learning theory in explaining an attachment

Evaluation of learning theory: counter evidence from human studies

• Schaffer and Emerson (1964) found that babies formed their primary attachment to their mother despite the mother not being the caregiver who usually fed them- only 3% form attachments with their fathers first

• Interactional synchrony and reciprocity are considered the foundations for building an attachment between caregiver and infant (Isabella et al. 1989)

• These studies and evidence suggest that food is not the main factor in attachments forming between an infant and their caregiver

Evaluation of learning theory: nature vs nurture debate

Nurture

• Learning theory explains attachment almost entirely through nurture, proposing that infants form bonds because feeding is reinforced via classical and operant conditioning, not biological forces

• while the specific attachment figure may be influenced by environmental learning, the overall capacity and motivation to attach are better explained by an interactionist approach, recognising that both innate predispositions and learning experiences shape attachment