learning theory AO3

• A criticism of learning theory is that it is largely based on studies of non-human animals such as Skinner’s research with pigeons

  • Behaviourists believe that humans are no different from other animals in terms of how they learn.
  • Therefore, they argue that it is legitimate to generalise the results from animal studies to humans.
  • However, whilst some aspects of human behaviour can be explaining by conditioning, not all behaviour can, especially a complex behaviour like attachment
• What do learning theory studies being based on non-human animals suggest about attachment?

  This suggests that learning theory may present an oversimplified view of human attachment.
• The main limitation of learning theory as an explanation for attachment is that it suggests that food is the key element in the formation of attachment.


  • However, a range of animal studies have shown that young animals do not necessarily attach to (or imprint on) those who feed them.
  • Lorenz’s geese imprinted before they were fed and maintained these attachments regardless of who fed them.
  • Harlow’s monkeys attached to a soft surrogate in preference to a wire one that dispensed milk.
• What does food not being the key element in the formation of attachment suggest ?

  This suggests that attachment does not develop as a result of feeding. Therefore, the same must be true of humans (i.e. food does not create an attachment bond) because behaviourists believe that humans and non-humans are equivalent.
• Research with human infants also suggests that feeding does not appear to be an important factor in humans


  • For example, Schaffer and Emerson’s (1964) study found that 39% of infants developed a primary attachment to the person who did not feed them.
• What does the 39% of infants developing a primary attachment to someone who didn't feed them suggest?

  These findings are a problem for the learning theory as they suggest that feeding is not the key element to attachment and so there is no unconditioned stimulus or primary drive involved.
• Learning theory may not provide a complete explanation of attachment, but it has some value. 


  • Infants do learn through association and reinforcement, but food may not be the main reinforcer.
  • It may be that attention and responsiveness from a caregiver are important reinforcers that assist in the formation of attachment.
• What do reinforcers such as attention and responsiveness suggest?

  These reinforcers were not part of the learning theory account but may be able to provide some explanation of attachment.