Psychology test topic attachement

• imprinting - a type of learning seen in goslings


  Imprinting is a type of learning where young animals (like goslings) form strong bonds with the first moving object they see, often mistaking it for their mother. This shows how attachment can be innate and influenced by early experiences, much like in human attachment.
• Bowlby's Three Stages of Attachment


  Bowlby proposed three stages of attachment development:

  1. Stranger Anxiety: Children become anxious around strangers due to the fear of abandonment or separation from their primary caregiver.
  2. Separation Anxiety: Children experience distress when separated from their primary caregiver, indicating a strong attachment bond.
  3. Secure Base: Children rely on their caregivers as a secure base for exploration and social interaction, demonstrating a strong attachment and sense of security.
• Fowlis' Study on Mother-Offspring Bonding in Birds


  Fowlis' study showed that male birds, such as zebra finches, form strong attachment bonds with their offspring, providing food and protection. This research highlights the importance of paternal care in animal attachment development.
• What is the main question addressed in the study material regarding fathers?

  Do fathers have a distinct role in children’s development?
• How do father-infant attachments compare to mother-infant attachments according to research?

  Father-infant attachments are more secure when the parent shows higher levels of sensitive responding to their children’s needs.
• What factor is suggested to influence the security of father-infant attachments?

  The security of father-infant attachments depends on high levels of marital intimacy.
• Who is associated with operant conditioning?

  Skinner
• Who is associated with classical conditioning?

  Pavlov
• What does the Learning Theory of attachment propose?

  • Attachment is a learned process, not innate
  • It is influenced by nurture rather than nature
• What drives humans to seek food according to the Learning Theory?

  Drives like hunger and thirst
• What is the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) in the context of attachment?

  Food
• What is the Unconditioned Response (UCR) when an infant is fed?

  Pleasure
• How does a caregiver become a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) in attachment theory?

  By being associated with the food that satisfies the infant's hunger
• What is the process of classical conditioning in attachment formation?

  1. UCS (Food) + Neutral Stimulus (Caregiver)
  2. Infant experiences UCR (Pleasure)
  3. Caregiver becomes CS
  4. Attachment is formed through association
• What is a key assumption of the Learning Theory of attachment?

  Attachment is formed through learned associations
• What did Schaffer and Emerson's findings suggest about attachment?

  Infants can attach to caregivers who do not feed them
• What is a limitation of the Learning Theory of attachment according to critics?

  It oversimplifies attachment to stimulus-response bonds
• What evidence did Harlow (1959) provide against the Learning Theory of attachment?

  He showed that infant monkeys preferred comfort over food
• What did Fox (1977) study reveal about attachment in Israeli kibbutzim?

  Children were more attached to their mothers despite being fed by metapelets
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Learning Theory of attachment?

  Strengths:

  • Provides a framework for understanding attachment formation

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Oversimplifies attachment
  • Ignores innate factors
  • Challenged by animal studies (Harlow)
  • Evidence from Fox suggests food is not the sole factor
• What is one strength of the learning theory of attachment?

  It provides a logical idea based on operant and classical conditioning.
• What does the learning theory of attachment help explain?

  It helps explain some but not all attachments and responses.
• What is a significant problem with the learning theory of attachment regarding the caregiver-infant relationship?

  The person to whom an infant is attached is not always the person who feeds them.
• What did Schaffer and Emerson find regarding infant attachment?

  In 39% of cases, the person who feeds the infant was not the person to whom they were first attached.
• How does the learning theory of attachment's reductionist nature affect its validity?

  It oversimplifies complex human attachment behavior to simple stimulus-response bonds.
• What does it mean for the learning theory of attachment to be reductionist?

  It reduces complex behaviors to simple explanations, ignoring other factors.
• What evidence did Harlow (1959) provide against the learning theory of attachment?

  Harlow found that baby monkeys preferred the cloth mother for comfort over the wire mother that provided food.
• What behavior did Harlow observe in baby monkeys regarding attachment?

  Baby monkeys hugged and clung to the cloth mother when scared, indicating a preference for comfort over food.
• What does cross-cultural evidence suggest about the learning theory of attachment?

  Cross-cultural evidence suggests that the theory is invalid.
• What did Fox (1977) study regarding attachment in Israeli kibbutzim?

  Fox studied attachment bonds between mothers, babies, and metapelets, finding that children were generally more attached to their mothers.
• What role do metapelets play in the attachment of children in Israeli kibbutzim?

  Metapelets are trained, full-time carers that allow mothers to work, primarily handling feeding.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the learning theory of attachment?

  Strengths:

  • Provides a logical framework based on conditioning.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Infants may attach to non-feeding caregivers.
  • Reductionist approach oversimplifies attachment behavior.
  • Harlow's evidence shows preference for comfort over food.
  • Cross-cultural evidence challenges the theory's validity.
• What is the main assumption of the learning theory of attachment that is undermined by Schaffer and Emerson's findings?

  The main assumption is that the person who feeds the infant is the primary attachment figure.
• Why is the learning theory of attachment considered problematic?

  It fails to account for the complexity of attachment behaviors and relationships.
• How does the learning theory of attachment fail to explain attachment behavior in different cultures?

  It does not consider the varying caregiving practices and attachment styles across cultures.