Explanations of attachment: Learning theory

• Learning theory


  Approach that explains caregiver-infant attachment through learning processes
• Learning theorists John Dollard and Neal Miller (1950)


  • Proposed that caregiver-infant attachment can be explained by learning theory
  • Their approach is sometimes called a 'cupboard love' approach because it emphasises the importance of the attachment figure as a provider of food
• Classical conditioning


  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
• Unconditioned stimulus


  Food, which gives us pleasure without having to learn it
• Neutral stimulus


  Something that produces no response initially
• Conditioned stimulus


  The caregiver, who becomes associated with food over time
• Operant conditioning


  Learning from the consequences of behaviour
• Reinforcement


  If a behaviour produces a pleasant consequence, that behaviour is likely to be repeated
• Punishment


  If a behaviour produces an unpleasant consequence, it is less likely to be repeated
• Operant conditioning of attachment

  1. Baby cries for comfort

  2. Caregiver responds with comforting behaviour

  3. Crying is reinforced

  4. Caregiver receives negative reinforcement as crying stops
• Secondary drive


  Attachment learned by association between caregiver and satisfaction of a primary drive (hunger)
• Sears‘ suggestion

  Robert Sears et al. (1957) suggested that, as caregivers provide food, the primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them. Attachment is thus a secondary drive learned by an association between the caregiver and the satisfaction of a primary drive.
• a primary drive - it's an innate, biological motivator.

  We are motivated to eat in order to reduce the hunger drive.
• Classical Conditioning


  A process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit an unconditioned response.
• (Classical conditioning) Caregiver provides food over time

  1. Caregiver becomes associated with food

  2. Baby sees caregiver and expects food

  3. Neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus
• Conditioning has taken place

  Sight of caregiver produces a conditioned response of pleasure
• Conditioned pleasure response


  Love, i.e. an attachment is formed and the caregiver becomes an attachment figure