-they learn to become attached to their caregivers by the processes of association or conditioning.
This can occur by classical conditioning...
-where an UCS like food causes pleasure when eaten
-This is the UCR as it is not learnt
What do the caregivers do?
-provide the food and subsequent pleasure for the infant
-therefore their presence becomes associated with the pleasure caused by eating food
The caregiver the becomes what?
-the unconditioned stimulus as the infant has now learnt to associate the caregiver with pleasure and so becomes attached to them.
Another type of conditioning is operant conditioning
-where infants learn to carry on with specific behaviours or stop in as a result of their consequences
for example
-crying when hungry causes the caregiver to feed them so the crying behaviour is helpful as it reduces hunger
-BEHAVIOURS THAT DO NOT LEAD TO POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES ARE REDUCED OR STOPPED
What does this encourage
-the infants needs to be met by the caregiver and the caregivr is encouraged to continue caring for the infant as desirable behaviour or traits such as smiling are being continued
