learning theory

• classical conditioning

  involves learning to associate two stimuli together so we respond to one in the same way as the other. in attachment, food serves us an an unconditioned stimulus. being fed gives us pleasure which we don't learn. this is an unconditioned response
• classical conditioning example

  a caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus. when the same person provides food over time they become associated with the food when the baby will then expect food. the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus. once conditioning has taken place the sight of the caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure
• operant conditioning

  involves learning to repeat or not repeat a behaviour depending on the consequences. if a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence it is likely to be repeated. the behaviour has been reinforced. if a behaviour produces a negative consequence it is less likely to be repeated
• operant conditioning example

  e.g. feeding. as long as the caregiver provides the correct response crying is reinforced. the baby then directs crying for comfort towards the caregiver who responds with comforting behaviour. the baby is then reinforced for crying as the caregiver receives negative reinforcement because the crying stops, escaping from something unpleasant is reinforcing.
• attachment as a secondary drive

  hunger can be thought of as a primary drive as it's an innate, biological motivator. we are motivated to eat in order to reduce hunger drive. Sears suggested that as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them. attachment is then a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of primary drive e.g. food
• A03 - counter evidence from animal research

  • animal studies have shown that young animals do not attach to those who feed them
  • Lorenz's geese imprinted before they were fed and maintained the attachments regardless of who fed them
  • Harlow's monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference of comfort contact
• A03 - counter evidence from human research

  • Schaffer and Emerson's study showed many of the babies developed a primary attachment to their biological mother even though carers did most of the feeding
  • this is a limitation as it shows there is no unconditioned stimulus or primary drive involved
• A03 - ignores other factors involved with attachment

  • suggests attachment is also associated with reciprocity and interactional synchrony
  • studies have shown the best attachments are with sensitive carers that pick up infants signals and respond appropriately