A01

• Dollard and Miller's learning theory proposes that caregiver-infant attachment stems from conditioning. Initially, caregivers serve as neutral stimuli, but through association with food, they become conditioned. Classical conditioning links food (unconditioned stimulus) with pleasure (unconditioned response), transforming the caregiver into a conditioned stimulus which produces a conditioned response of pleasure.
• Operant conditioning reinforces attachment behaviours. Babies learn to cry for comfort, as caregiver responses alleviate discomfort, reinforcing crying as a behaviour. This is an example of negative reinforcement because the baby escapes something unpleasant (i.e. discomfort) by getting comforted every time they cry. This mutual reinforcement strengthens the attachment bond. 
• Additionally, drive reduction theory suggests hunger, a primary drive, becomes associated with caregivers who provide food. This means attachment is a secondary drive learned from associating the caregiver with the satisfaction of a primary drive.