Learning Theory

• Cupboard Love


  Dollard and Miller used the behaviourist approach to explain how infants learn to 'love' the person who feeds them.
• Classical Conditioning


  The infant associates the caregiver with food, so forms an attachment to them. The caregiver becomes the conditioned stimulus.
• Operant Conditioning


  Infant receives positive reinforcement when crying = food

  Caregiver receives negative reinforcement = crying stops
• Attachment as a Secondary Drive


  Sears et al - hunger is a primary drive for infants, and caregivers reduce hunger, meaning attachment is a secondary drive
• Learning theory: Strength


  There have been new developments with 'social learning theory'. Hay and Vespo suggest parents teach children to love by performing attachment behaviour then positively reinforcing behaviours with praise. Shows SLT doesn't have to rely on cupboard love and can be seen as a convincing explanation for attachment.
• Learning Theory: Weakness


  There is a lack of support from animal studies, e.g. Lorenz's geese imprinted before they were fed, suggesting feeding isn't crucial to attachment.
• Learning Theory: Weakness


  Schaffer and Emerson's research showed a majority of attachment to mothers, despite the babies being fed by other caregivers, suggesting food is not the main factor in the formation of human attachments.