SLT

• Classical conditioning


  1. Learning to associate two stimuli together so that we begin to respond to one in the same way as we already respond to the other

  2. Food serves as an unconditioned stimulus

  3. Caregiver starts as a neutral stimulus, but becomes associated with food and becomes a conditioned stimulus

  4. Sight of caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure, which is attachment
• Operant conditioning


  1. Learning from the consequences of behaviour

  2. If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated (reinforced)

  3. Crying leads to a response from the caregiver, which reinforces the behaviour

  4. Caregiver also receives negative reinforcement as the crying stops
• Attachment as a secondary drive


  Attachment is learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive (hunger)
• Learning theory explanations for attachment lack support from animal studies
• Learning theory explanations for attachment lack support from studies on human babies
• Conditioning may still play a role in some aspects of attachment, but is not an adequate explanation
• Hay + Vespo (1988)- love


  • Parents teach children to love them by demonstrating (modelling) attachment behaviours
  • Parents also reinforce loving behaviour by showing approval
• Dollard + Miller (1950)- social learning theory


  Approach AKA 'cupboard love' approach emphasises the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food
• Animal studies - limitation


  Lorenz showed geese imprinted despite the PAF not being associated with food

  Harlow showed monkeys (when given a choice) preferred the cloth mother
• Schaffer + Emerson - limitation


  Mother usually PCG even if they didn't give food

  Isabella et al - interactional synchrony was a better predictor of attch
• Conditioning may be invloved


  Associations of warmth and comfort can still happen with a particular adult influencing PAF choice
• Feldman + Eidlman - babies play an active role


  • Babies only respond to associations of reward and comfort
  • Babies are seen as passive
  • These researcher found otherswise