Explanations of attachment - learning theory

• classical conditioning

  food (UCS) -> pleasure (UCR)

  food (UCS) + mother (NS) -> pleasure (UCR)

  mother (NS) -> pleasure (CR)
• operant conditioning - Dollard and Miller. Hungry infant has a drive to reduce discomfort associated with hunger.
• food - pleasure POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
• primary reinforcer = food, secondary reinforcer = caregiver.
• • based on animal studies, Skinners, humans more complex and innate
• • attachment not entirely based on food , Harlow, Schaffer and Emerson, found children find sensitive responding more important
• • extraneous variables
• • Bowlby alternate explanation, explains why and benefits, protection from harm
•  infant learns to view the food as a primary reinforcer or reward. This association leads to the development of an attachment, with the infant seeking the person’s presence associated with comfort.
• The person providing the food becomes associated with this comfort, thus becoming a secondary reinforcer.
• The infant’s behavior is also reinforcing for the caregiver (the caregiver gains pleasure from smiles etc. – reward). The reinforcement process is, therefore, reciprocal (two-way) and strengthens the emotional bond/attachment between the two.