Learning theory

• Who proposed attachment can be explained by learning theory?

  Dollard and Miller
• What did Dollard and Miller propose could be explained by learning theory?

  Attachment
• What is the learning theory approach sometimes called?

  Cupboard love approach
• Why is learning theory sometimes called the cupboard love approach?

  Emphasises importance of attachment figure as food provider
• What two types of conditioning can explain attachment?

  Classical and operant
• What is operant conditioning?

  Learning by its consequences
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning by association
• Classical conditioning and attachment

  A) Unconditioned stimulus

  B) Unconditioned response

  C) Neutral stimulus

  D) No response

  E) Unconditioned

  F) Neutral stimulus

  G) Unconditioned response

  H) Conditioned stimulus

  I) Conditioned response

  
• In attachment what is the unconditioned stimulus?


  Food
• In attachment what is the unconditioned response?

  Pleasure
• In attachment what does the caregiver start as?

  Neutral stimulus
• How does a caregiver become associated with food?

  Consistently providing food
• In attachment what is the conditioned stimulus?

  Caregiver
• In attachment what is the conditioned response?

  Pleasure
• How does operant conditioning explain why babies cry for comfort?

  Crying leads to response, reinforcing crying behaviour
• How is reinforcement a two-way process in building attachment?

  Baby reinforced for crying, caregiver receives negative reinforcement when crying stops
• In attachment what is negative reinforcement?

  Caregiver reinforced by removal of crying
• How does mutual reinforcement affect attachment?

  Interplay of reinforcement strengthens attachment
• What concept does learning theory draw on other than conditioning?


  Drive reduction
• What is a primary drive in attachment?

  Hunger
• What did Sears suggest happens as caregivers provide food?


  Primary drive of hunger becomes generalised to them
• What is attachment best explained as by drive reduction?

  Secondary drive learned by association between caregiver and satisfaction of primary drive