Learning theory

• What does attachment mean?

  Forming a special bond or relationship with that person, and them with you.
• What is learning theory?

  Taking the view that attchment is a learned process, through nurture.All behaviour is aquired through classical conditioning
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning through association
• What is operant conditioning?

  a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed by a punisher
• Explain the learning theory in response to classical conditioning

  A baby has to learn to form an attachment with their mother. Baby forms an association between mother (neutral stimulus) and the pleasure of being fed. Baby feels comforted by food, and because mum is always present baby associated mum with food. Eventually mum brings pleasure without food.
• Explain the learning theory in response to operant conditioning

  A baby has to learn to form an attachment with their mother. Mother rewards the infant by feeding him, so infant repeats any action that brings her close. Food is a primary reinforcer, removing discomfort. But it never comes without the mother, so she is secondary reinforcer - even without food brings pleasure.
• What was the aim of Harlow and Harlow's experiment?

  To test the learning theory of attachment
• What was the procedure of Harlow and Harlow's experiment?

  Baby monkeys exposed to 2 artificial mothers. One was a wire cage providing food and the other a cloth providing comfort. If the learning theory was valid, monkeys would spend most their time on the feeding mother.
• What were the results of Harlow and Harlow's experiment?

  Monkeys spent 18 hours on the comfort mother and only 1 hour on the feeding mother. Refutes the learning theory.
• Explain the results of Lorenz experiment

  Baby geese imprinted (formed and attachment) with the first living object they came into contact with. Geese followed lorenz and peformed mating rituals on him. He identified a critical attachment period at just 18 hours after birth.
• Explain lorenz procedure


  1/2 the group of goose eggs were hatched in a natural enviroment with the mother. The other half were hatched in a incubator with lorenz. He investigated who the geese attached to.
• Explain schaffer and emmersons study

  Babies still formed attachments with mothers, even if carers were doing all the feeding. Refutes learning theory.
• Explain credibility of conditioning

  Feeding based attachments have poor credibility. Association and conditioning could be valid (mother bringing comfort saftey and warmth forms a strong attachment)
• Explain the alternative theory

  Bowlby's evolutionary theory provides a more credible explaination for attachment. Infants are biologiclaly primed to attach to their mothers and a series of innate mechanisms make it happen.