Learning Theory

• Who established Learning Theory?

  Dollard and Miller
• What did they refer it as?

  'Cupboard Love' -> importance of Caregiver being the provider of food - infants learning to love whoever feeds them
• What are the 2 Conditionings?

  • Classical and Operant
• What is Classical Conditioning?

  -> Learning through association of 2 stimuli
• Explain Classical Conditioning?

  1. Food = UCS
  2. Being fed gives Pleasure = UCR
  3. Caregiver = NS
  4. Caregiver + Food = Pleasure
  5. Overtime infant associates CG and food - CG = CS
  6. After conditioning, when infant sees caregiver they associate them with food and emit a response - pleasure = CR
• Using key words, explain CC

  UCS -> UCR

  NS -> no response

  UCS + NS -> UCR

  NS becomes CS

  UCR becomes CR

  CS -> CR
• What is Operant Conditioning?

  Learning through repeated behaviour consequences
• What is positive reinforcement?

  -> when a behaviour is repeated when there's a rewarding outcome
• What is negative reinforcement?

  -> when behaviour is repeated to avoid an unrewarding outcome
• Explain Operant Conditioning

  -> explains why infants cry

  -> crying = a response from CG -> feeding

  >> if corrected response given - crying is reinforced

  -> crying directed to comfort - CG 'social suppressor' behaviour
• Why is reinforcement a good thing?

  -> strengthens an attachment as reinforcement is a 2 way process
• Explain the concept of drive reduction

  -> Hunger = primary drive - innate/biological motivation

  >> we're motivated to eat - reduce hunger
• What did SEARS et al suggests with the drive reduction?


  -> CG provide food, hunger becomes generalised to them

  -> A. is then a secondary drive by association between CG and satisfaction of primary drive
• LIMITATION - counter evidence - animal studies

  -> Animal studies show that animals don't necessarily attach to those who feed them

  -> Lorenz goose - imprinted before being fed - A. maintained regardless who fed them

  -> Harlow Monkeys - chose soft surrogate over wired who dispensed milk

  • Doesn't develop because of feeding
• STRENGTH - importance of conditioning

  -> while food doesn't play a central role - conditioning may have a part to play

  >> baby associate warm & comfort with a particular adult

  > could influence their choice of main attachment figure

  • Learning theory still useful in understanding development of attachment