Learning theory - Pavlov

• Believes behaviour is learned not innate, we are blank slates when were born and behaviour is focused on experience
• Classical conditioning - learning through association

  A neutral stimulus is consistently paired with an unconditional stimulus so that it eventually takes on the properties of the stimulus and is able to produce an unconditioned response
• Pavlov (1927) 


  Food is the unconditioned stimulus and pleasure is the unconditioned response

  During early weeks of development an infant develops an association with food

  Neutral stimulus - parent or environment

  If a neutral stimulus is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus, this will produce the same response

  The neutral stimulus is now a conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response
• Operant conditioning - learning through reinforcement

  Dollard and Millet (1950) - Provided an explanation for attachment based on operant conditioning and drive reduction theory

  Attachment is formed as baby learns that crying brings mum (food is the primary enforcer, mother becomes secondary enforcer)
• Drive 


  What motivates behaviour
• Drive reduction theory 


  Human behaviour is motivated by the drive to satisfy biological needs (baby wants to satisfy hunger)
• Negative reinforcement 


  When baby is hungry its in discomfort, therefore food from mother reduces this discomfort

  Mother also reduces unpleasant stimulus of crying

  Each occurrence strengthens this learning and creates an attachment
• Social Learning Theory

  Hay and Vespo (1988) - modelling can be used to explain attachment behaviours

  Children observe their parents affectionate behaviour and imitate these

  There is deliberate guidance from parents about relationships and how to behave, and reward appropriate attachment behaviours with kisses/hugs (positive reinforcement)
• Limitations - The learning theory is based on animal research

  May not be generalisable to humans

  Attachment is too complex to be explained by conditioning - suggests behaviourism lacks validity due to its reductionism
• Limitation - Contact comfort is more important than food

  According to behaviourism food is the main element in the formation of attachment - however Harlow found that monkeys were more attached to cloth mothers warmth and comfort
• Strength - Explanatory power

  Infants do learn by association and reinforcement, but that doesn't mean its food - perhaps its the attention and responsiveness that provides rewards for the infant from the caregiver

  Perhaps the infants may imitate responsiveness rather than learning it
• Limitation - drive reduction theory is largely ignored today

  It can only explain a number of limited behaviours

  For example, as we do things to avoid discomfort, we may also do things to seek discomfort (skydiving)

  Secondary reinforcers may not directly reduce discomfort, but they force it in some way
• Limitation - Alternative explanation

  Learning theory was quickly replaced by Bowlbys study

  Explains why attachment forms, where as learning theory only explains how

  Bowlby also gives explanations for advantages of forming an attachment, such as protection from harm

  Bowlby also supports Schaffer and Emmerson’s findings that infants are not always most strongly attached to the person who feeds them