The Learning Theory

• Classical conditioning - learning by association

  • Food is an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response.
  • Caregiver is the neutral stimulus who produces no response.
  • They are eventually paired with the unconditioned stimulus and slowly become associated with it.
  • Mother has now become a conditioned stimulus and the pleasure she brings is a conditioned response.
• Operant conditioning - learning by reinforcement.

  • DOLLARD AND MILLER (1950) suggested that a hungry infant feels uncomfortable and this creates a drive to reduce the discomfort.
  • Any behaviour resulting in rewards us positively reinforced so its more likely to be repeated.
  • Any behaviour resulting in punishments is negatively reinforced so it is less likely to be repeated.
  • Hungry infant feels uncomfortable and is driven to reduce comfort, by feeding.
  • The food is the primary reinforcer as it satisfies the hunger directly.
  • The caregiver is the secondary reinforcer.
• Cupboard love theory:

  DOLLARD AND MILLER bring the two types of conditioning together:

  • Infants are reinforced in the behaviours that will produce desirable responses from others (operant).
  • They learn to associate the caregiver with the feeling of pleasure when they are fed (classical).
• Strengths:

  • Can be applied to other behaviours and theories such as learning, aggression, criminality - has extended application.
• Limitations:

  • Conflicting research - Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed and Harlows monkeys didn’t care about who gave them food, they wanted comfort.
  • Conflicting research (lack validity) - Schaffer and Emerson, babies developed a primary attachment to their mother even though others did most of the feeding.
  • Oversimplified - biological factors are only considered and ignores social explanations.
  • Lacks temporal validity - theory is outdated there are cognitive factors environmental factors and different approaches to consider.