Explanations of Attachment

• what is the 'cupboard love theory?


  - based on the principles of learning theory;it argues infants become attached to their caregiver because they learn that their caregiver provides food
• classical conditioning - formation of an attachment


  - food (UCS) provides pleasure (UCR)

  - the mother (NS) becomes associated with pleasure (UCR) due to her being present when this happens

  - now, in the presence of the mother (CS) the infant experiences pleasure (CR)
• operant conditioning - maintenance of the attachment


  - positive reinforcement: a behaviour is more likely due to the result of a positive stimulus; eg: when a parent feeds a crying baby, baby is more likely to repeat the crying behaviour to receive food

  - negative reinforcement: a behaviour is more likely due to the removal of a negative stimulus, eg: parents' feeding behaviour is negatively reinforced by the baby stopping its crying and the baby no longer being hungry
• A03, face validity


  - it makes intuitive sense that babies cry more when they learn crying gains them attention and ultimately, food
• A03, environmentally reductionist


  - behaviourists argue that the complex interactions between caregivers and their infants are just the result of simplistic stimulus-response units
• A03, evidence which rejects the 'cupboard love' theory


  - Harlow's research on rhesus monkeys showed monkeys preferred the towel surrogate over the milk surrogate, choosing a mother who provided contact comfort over food
• what is Bowlby's monotropic theory?


  - evolutionary explanation of attachment; Bowlby argues that infants have an innate drive to forman especially strong attachment to their mother (monotropy) and stay in close proximity
• how is the monotropic relationship developed?


  - babies instinctively use social releasers (crying, smiling, vocalisations) that attract the caregiver's attention

  - according to the theory; mothers are biologically programmed to find these behaviours cute or distressing
• what is the critical period?


  - Bowlby suggests a strong monotropic attachment must form in the first 6-30 months after birth

  - a lack of monotropy results in permanent negative social,intellectual and emotional consequences for the infant
• internal working model?


  - Bowlby claims that the child's monotropic attachment to its mother provides a blueprint for future relationships (a schema)

  - this IWM guides how to conduct future relationships
• A03, continuity hypothesis (deterministic)


  continuity hypothesis: the quality of infant attachment can predict those infants' later adult relationships due to the development of the internal working model

  - highly deterministic: experiences in later life are just as likely to have an impact on adult relationships
• A03, Bowlby's work has been impactful


  -his research is responsible for practices during childbirth today,eg: immediate physical contact between mother and newborn within first few hours of birth is encouraged

  -inspired later research,eg: Ainsworth
• A03, alpha bias


  - Bowlby argues the father's role is pure economic and to provide resources for the family, whereas the mother's is purely monotropic for the infant

  - also suffers from temporal validity and stereotyping