AO1

• What is the learning theory?

  • Learning theorists Dollard and Miller proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by the learning theory
  • This approach is sometimes called a 'cupboard love' approach because it emphasises the importance of the caregiver as a provider of food
  • They proposed that children learn to love whoever feeds them
• What does this view support?

  • This view supports the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate - that behaviour is learnt through experiences in the environment
• What does classical conditioning explain?

  Classical conditioning explains how attachments are formed
• What does operant conditioning explain?

  Operant conditioning explains how attachments are maintained
• What does the learning theory go against?

  The learning theory goes against Harlow's conclusions in animal studies - who found that contact comfort was more important than food in order for an infant to be attached to the caregiver
• Explain what classical conditioning is:

  Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we can give the same response to both
• Who proposed the learning theory of attachment?

  Dollard and Miller (1950)
• Before conditioning:

  Before conditioning, the food serves as an unconditioned stimulus that leads to an unconditioned response of the baby experiencing happiness and pleasure.
• During conditioning:

  During conditioning, the mother serves as a neutral stimulus as she does not produce a response from the baby, the mother is paired with the unconditioned stimulus that produces the unconditioned response of the baby’s pleasure.
• After conditioning:

  After conditioning, the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned response, the  mother is the conditioned stimulus which leads to a conditioned response of the baby then experiencing happiness and pleasure as a response to her.
• Explain what operant conditioning is:

  Learning to repeat behaviour, or not, depending on the consequences. If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated again. The behaviour has been reinforced. If a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence it is less likely to be repeated.
• Why can operant conditioning explain why babies cry for comfort?

  • Operant conditioning can explain why babies cry for comfort - an important behaviour in building attachment
  • Crying leads to a response from the caregiver, for example 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 'social suppressor' behaviour
• Operant conditioning is a two-way process...

  • At the same time the baby is being reinforced for crying, the caregiver experiences negative reinforcement as the crying stops - avoiding something unpleasant
  • This interplay of mutual reinforcement strengthens an attachment
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed, e.g. praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly in class
• What is negative reinforcement?

  When an animal (or human) avoids something unpleasant, e.g. student hands in an essay as not to be told off
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Adding something pleasant to encourage the likelihood of behaviour to happen again. Behaviour is more likely to be repeated because it produces a positive outcome (a reward). E.g. child receiving a sweet for tidying up toys
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Remove something unpleasant to encourage the likelihood of behaviour to happen again. Behaviour is more likely to be repeated because it removes something unpleasant. E.g. a child tidying up their toys as not to be told off
• What is punishment?

  Decreases/deters the likelihood of behaviour repeating itself
• What is positive punishment?

  Adding something unpleasant to deter behaviour e.g. being grounded
• What is negative punishment?

  Taking away a certain desired item/removing something pleasant to deter behaviour e.g. removing play time for a child
• How is attachment a two-way process?

  Not only does the infant have to form an attachment to the caregiver, but the caregiver has to form an attachment to the infant
• What is drive reduction?

  Having a biological motivation or desire to any feelings of discomfort. Reducing this discomfort produces a feeling of pleasure (behaviour) which is rewarding (positive reinforcement). E.g. The discomfort that the baby is trying to reduce is their hunger.
• What is the drive reduction theory in depth? (1)

  Drive Reduction Theory proposes that when we are uncomfortable we act on an innate drive to reduce our discomfort. In the case of a hungry baby, there is a ‘drive’ to reduce their discomfort by being fed. When their discomfort is reduced, the baby will feel pleasure (a reward) which acts as positive reinforcement.  
• What is the drive reduction theory in depth? (2)

  The food becomes their primary reinforcer because it supplies the reward (feeling pleasure) and the primary caregiver who supplies the food (and indirectly the feeling of pleasure) becomes the secondary reinforcer. Attachment is formed because the baby seeks the person who can provide the reward. 
• What do Dollard and Miller argue?

  • They argue that children are born as ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slates) and that all behaviour, including attachment, is learned through classical and operant conditioning; rather than being innate.
  • This view supports the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate as it assumes that our behaviour is shaped by our personal experiences rather than our genetic make-up and DNA.