learning theory

• Who proposed the caregiver-infant attachment theory in 1950?

  Dollard and Miller
• What does classical conditioning involve?

  Learning to associate two stimuli together
• What are the steps in classical conditioning as proposed by Dollard and Miller?

  1. Unconditioned stimulus (food) evokes unconditioned response (pleasure)
  2. Neutral stimulus (caregiver) evokes no response
  3. Neutral stimulus (caregiver) + unconditioned stimulus (food) evokes unconditioned response (pleasure)
  4. Repeated pairing leads to caregiver becoming a conditioned stimulus producing a conditioned response of pleasure
• What does the conditioned response of pleasure represent in attachment theory?

  It is considered love
• What does operant conditioning involve?

  Learning from the consequences of behavior
• How does a baby's crying reinforce attachment according to operant conditioning?

  Crying leads to caregiver response, reinforcing behavior
• What is the process of mutual reinforcement in attachment formation?

  • Baby's crying elicits caregiver response
  • Correct responses like feeding reinforce crying
  • Caregiver's response provides negative reinforcement by stopping crying
  • Strengthens attachment through mutual reinforcement
• What is the primary drive in attachment theory?

  Hunger
• How does Sears et al. (1957) relate to attachment as a secondary drive?

  Caregivers providing food generalizes hunger to them
• What does learning theory suggest about attachment?

  Attachment is a secondary drive learned by association
• What limitation is associated with studies on animal behavior regarding attachment?

  Lack of support from studies conducted on animals
• What did Lorenz's geese study demonstrate about attachment?

  Imprinting occurs regardless of food association
• What did Harlow's research with monkeys reveal about attachment?

  Monkeys preferred soft surrogate mothers over food
• What does Schaffer and Emerson's study suggest about human attachment?

  Babies form main attachment to mothers, not feeders
• What did Isabella et al. find regarding attachment quality?

  High interactional synchrony predicts attachment quality
• What is a strength of the learning theory in attachment?

  Elements of conditioning could be involved in attachment
• How might conditioning influence a baby's choice of attachment figure?

  Association with comfort may influence choice
• What is a counterpoint to the learning theory regarding the baby's role?

  Babies take an active role in attachment development
• What does the social learning perspective suggest about attachment behaviors?

  Parents model and reinforce attachment behaviors
• What are the key points of Hay and Vespo's (1988) findings on attachment?

  • Parents teach children to love through modeling
  • Demonstrating attachment behaviors like hugging
  • Reinforcing loving behavior with approval
  • Emphasizes two-way interaction in attachment