Learning theory of attachment

• Who proposed learning theory of attachment

  Dollard and Miller
• Classical conditioning as a a part of learning theory of attachment

  Infants learn to associate food with caregiver and caregiver learns response of love
• operant conditioning as a a part of learning theory of attachment

  Infants learn crying causes attention (positive reinforcement) and adults learn that attention stops crying (negative reinforcement) 2 way process
• What is attachment as a secondary drive as part of learning theory of attachment

  Drive reduction: we behave innately to satisfy natural drives, hunger is innate primary drive, caregiver is secondary drive as infant wants to attach because theyre associated with primary drive
• Weakness of learning theory of attachment: contradictory research

  Harlow animal study found monkeys attach to comfort giver not food giver. Lorenz found goslings attach through imprinting not food. This disproves learning theory as its not food
• Weakness of learning theory of attachment: contradicting research

  Schaffer + emerson, found infants form attachment with caregiver even without food, emotional factor present, disproves learning theory as its not food
• Weakness of learning theory of attachment: alternative explanation

  SLT: modelling behaviour such as adults showing others affection with positively reinforces loving behaviour in infants, higher validity as more evidence than learning theory