Explainations Of Attachment: Learning Theory

What is the learning theory?

A set of theories from the behaviourist approach to psychology that emphasise the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour. Explanations for learning of behaviour include classical and operant conditioning.

What did Dollard and Miller propose?

That caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory. Their approach is sometimes called a ‘cupboard love‘ approach because it emphasises the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food.

What does classical conditioning involve?

Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one in the same way as we already respond to the other.

In the case of attachment, what does food serve as?

An unconditioned stimulus.

What does being fed give babies?

Pleasure, we don’t have to learn that (unconditioned response).

What kind of response is it when babies receive pleasure from being fed?

An unconditioned response.

What does a caregiver start as?

A neutral stimulus.

What is a neutral stimulus?

One that produces no response.

What happens when the caregiver provides food over time?

They become associated with food. When the baby sees this person, there is an expectation of food. The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus.

Once conditioning has taken place, what does the sight of the caregiver produce?

A conditioned response of pleasure.

To a learning theorist, what is this conditioned pleasure response?

Love, an attachment is formed between the two.

What does operant conditioning involve?

Learning from the consequences of behaviour,

What happens when behaviour produces a pleasant consequence?

That behaviour is likely to be repeated again.

What happens when a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence (punishment)?

It is less likely to be repeated.

What can operant conditioning explain?

Why babies cry for comfort - an important behaviour in building attachment: crying leads to a response from the caregiver, for example feeding. As long as the caregiver provides the correct response, crying is reinforced. The baby them directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting ‘social suppressor‘ behaviour.

What type of process is the reinforcement involved in operant conditioning?

A two-way process.

What type of reinforcement does the caregiver receive when they stop the baby crying?

Negative; crying stops and they are escaping from something negative.

What type of reinforcement does the baby receive when they are stopped from crying?

Positive: they receive pleasure as they are fed.

As well as conditioning, what else does learning theory draw on?

The concept of drive reduction.

What can hunger be though of as?

A primary drive - it is an innate, biological motivator. We are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive.

What did Sears et al. suggest?

That as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them. Attachment is thus a secondary drive learned by association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.

What is the strength of learning theory?

• Some conditioning may be involved.

How is some conditioning being involved a strength of learning theory?

It seems unlikely that association with food plays a central role in attachment, but conditioning may still play a role. For example, a baby may associate feeling warm and comfortable with the presence of a particular adult, and this may influence the baby’s choice of their main attachment figure.

What does some conditioning being involved say about the learning theory?

That learning theory may still be useful in understanding the development of attachments.

What is the counterpoint to the fact that some conditioning may be involved?

Both classical and operant conditioning explanations see the baby as playing a relatively passive role in attachment development, simply responding to associations with comfort or reward. In fact research shows that babies take a very active role in the interactions that produce attachment.

What does the counterpoint to some conditioning being involved say about learning theory?

That conditioning may not be an adequate explanation of any aspect of attachment.

What are the limitations of the learning theory?

• Counter-evidence from animal studies.

• Counter-evidence from studies on humans.

How is counter-evidence from animal studies a limitation of the learning theory?

For example, Lorenz’s geese imprinted on the first moving object they saw, regardless of whether this object was associated with food. Also, if we consider Harlow’s research with monkeys, there is no support for the importance of food. When given a choice, Harlow’s monkey’s displayed attachment behaviour towards a soft surrogate mother in preference to a wire one which provided milk.

What does counter-evidence from animal studies show?

That factors other than association with food are important in the formation of attachments.

How is counter-evidence from studies on humans a limitation of learning theory?

For example, Schaffer and Emerson found that babies tended to form their main attachment to their mother, regardless of whether she was the one who usually fed them. Isabella et al. found that high levels of interactional synchrony predicted the quality of attachment, These factors are not related to feeding.

What does the counter-evidence from studies on humans suggest?

That food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments.

What do Hay and Vespo suggest?

That parents teach children to love them by demonstrating (modelling) attachment behaviours, for example hugging. Parents also reinforce loving behaviour by showing approval when babies display their own attachment behaviours.

The social learning perspective has the advantage that it is based around two-way interaction between baby and adult, so it fits better with research into the importance of reciprocity.